


To Hell and Back

by SLTheOneAndAwesome



Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Spoilers up to ACiT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-04
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-06-06 06:41:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 43,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6743458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLTheOneAndAwesome/pseuds/SLTheOneAndAwesome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Tachyon's destruction of Fastoon, Two Lombaxes are left on their own. Kaden is left with only his son and a need for revenge. Alister has to deal with banishment and guilt. Both want to help each other, they just want to help themselves more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Unexpected Attack

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> So, this is actually an old fic from 2009 that can originally be found on my FF.Net account. I've recently read it over and decided to smooth out some of the hiccups left from 15 year old SL's grubby fingers and her inability to write.
> 
> All in all the story is the same, but to anyone who may have come across it before hand, think of it as being given a coat of gloss to perfect it.
> 
> Spoilers for the Ratchet and Clank series up to A Crack in Time. Though it's been seven years, I think we're good.

 Today is a day of endings.  There will be no new beginnings, because once this day is done, everything will be gone.

Smoke filled the usually clear, acrid air on Planet Fastoon.  Clouds of black painted over an almost always blue sky.  Screams ripped through the air.  Buildings went up in flames or tumbled down in destruction.  No one had seen it coming.  This day had seemed as ordinary as any other.  Until giant footfalls had startled the people.  The members of the Center for Advanced Lombax research had been shaken.  Their Elder Councilman had also been a Four Bolt Magistrate for the Praetorian Guard and he had been messaged that Fastoon was under attack.

The sand-coloured Lombax had left the Center without a word, knowing that the other councilmembers would understand he was needed elsewhere.  Behind him another Lombax councilmember had chosen to follow.

The Praetorian Guard had collected outside the Court of Azimuth and they all could only stare in wonder at the mechs that were tearing their way through the city.  A group of officers were huddled together, debating a plan of action.

"What's going on?!" the General asked as he tore his way towards the officers, demanding a debriefing.

"General Azimuth, sir!”  The highest ranking officer, a colonel, gave him a quick salute.  The General saluted him back, irritated that the other soldier felt the urge to adhere to such an insignificant protocol when there was critical information to be relayed.  At ease, the colonel explained, “we have reason to believe that the one behind this attack may be Percival Tachyon.”

"The Cragmite?" the other Lombax from the Council asked.  His green eyes were narrowed, heavy with an accusation, but he was silent as he turned to his fellow councilmember.  The Elder Councilman did nothing more than blink back in surprise.

That wasn’t possible.  He must have misheard or perhaps the colonel was mistaken.  "There's no way that can be right! What proof do you have?"  Before the colonel could respond the sand-coloured Lombax's eyes focused on the mechs.  He’d wanted to analyze their enemy and formulate an attack strategy but instead he was horrified by the familiarity of the machinery.  "Those are our designs!"

"How did the Cragmite get our designs, Alister?" the other councilmember demanded angrily.  Despite asking, the general was sure he had his suspicions of what the answer could be, and did not grant him a response. The Elder Councilman could only glare at him, letting him know now was not the time for accusations.

The general felt a heavy weight in his gut as he scanned the horizon and found one mech that towered above the rest.  "How do you know that's Tachyon?" the general asked, despite the fact he was sure he could come to the same conclusion.

"We saw him in the mech leading the attack. The rest of the army is made up of Drophyds. The mechs are too strong and much too large to handle on foot. General, we ask if we should prepare the air force so we can have aerial support. We're also trying to get ground units ready with heavy artillery. Should we continue?" the colonel asked.

The sand coloured Lombax could only stare at the destruction playing out before him. He could barely believe what was going on in front of him, so much so that thinking of retaliation was a far thought from his mind.  He was too focused on memories of confidential conversations, of blueprints traded in secret and discussions leading into the early hours of the morning on their improvements.

"General Azimuth! I know this is alarming, but, please, we need you to focus. If you're going to freeze up then how do you not expect the soldiers to do the same?" the colonel insisted.  His tail was starting to lash in frustration with his superior.

Insulted by the comment, Azimuth shook his head, returning himself to the situation at hand and did as he was asked. "Right. Get the fighter ships ready and prepare the artillery. Any ground units in the area should help evacuate citizens.  They’ll likely be useless against those mechs."

"Evacuate them to where?" a different officer asked.

"The Court of Azimuth," the other councilmember stated. "Have them take shelter there until we know if we can hold off the army."

The colonel nodded, understanding his orders and commanding the rest of the officers what their assignments would be so they could relay them to their soldiers.

The General watched the soldiers uneasily as they ran off to do as they were commanded.  If Tachyon was using Lombax technology that even the Praetorian Guard hadn't been given yet, then what were their chances?  Concentrating the people into the Court would only make them easier to find.  "Kaden, do we really want them all gathered in one area?  Wouldn't that make an easier target for Tachyon?" Azimuth asked.

"You've forgotten that we have the Dimensionator there.  If for whatever reason Tachyon's forces manage to take down the Praetorian Guard then we could defend ourselves by moving to another dimension.  I know it's a drastic suggestion, but Tachyon will likely want to wipe us all out and we'd be safest somewhere he couldn't go, rather than just flee the planet and cause problems for the rest of the galaxy."

"Kill the Lombaxes?  Why would Tachyon want to wipe us out?  He's been working with us!" Azimuth insisted.

"Alister, don't you realize?  He's been  _using_  us!  Using  _you_ ," Kaden corrected.

"But why is he even  _doing_  this?  What has he got against us?" Alister asked naively.  He truly could not understand.  What could the Cragmite have to gain from attacking them?  He knew it was no secret that the Lombaxes had vanquished the Cragmites in the Great War, using a device that they had developed called the Dimensionator.  They had sent the Cragmites to another dimension to protect the inhabitants of this one and stopped the bloodshed of the Great War once and for all.  Years later trillium miners had discovered a Cragmite on the Kreeli Comet.  Feeling sorry for the last Cragmite left in the galaxy they had decided to bring the creature back to Fastoon and raise it themselves. Yes, some were wary of the Cragmite, but as a society, the Lombaxes had generally accepted the creature, hadn't they?  They had raised him and taken care of him when instead they could have killed him.  Why would he want to attack them?

"He's a  _Cragmite,_  Alister!  They've never had reasons for the destruction they've caused.  Why do you think we got rid of them all of those years ago?  And, enlighten me,  _how_  did he get our designs?  Those are the plans we were supposed to be working on this month.  How did he get the schematics and build them himself?" Kaden demanded.  His green eyes were locked furiously on the other councilmember.

"But he promised he was going to help us repair the galaxy.  He shared his ideas with us.  He said that we could make Polaris what it once was before the Great War."  Alister was horrified as a realization dawned on him.  Kaden was right.  The Cragmite had used him, had used their technology and now was going to use the very machinery that was supposed to protect them to destroy them.  How had he been so foolish?

Kaden looked astonished and irritated as Alister finally confessed to what he had done.  Alister flinched as he knew full well his friend had warned him not to give the Cragmite an inch.  Kaden had every right to be angry with him.  "So you gave him our secrets!  You gave a Cragmite technology that we wouldn't even show our own Praetorian Guard?!  And you didn't wonder what he would use it for?"

"He was supposed to build them  _with_ us.  He was going to look over the schematics, modify them and return them to us to build.  He wasn't supposed to create them himself."  And yet he had.  The sounds of the destruction that had seemed like nothing but background noise were now burning far too loud in Alister's ears.  All of that chaos.  It was  _his_  fault!   _He_  was the reason that his people were under attack.  That his people were dying.

Screams of citizens pierced the air and Alister had to force himself not to cover his ears and block them out.  He and Kaden turned to watch as people began flooding into the Court. The look of horror and fear on the Lombaxes’ faces engraved their way into Alister's mind. He was to blame for all of this terror.

Fighter ships made their way into the air and the sounds of heavy weaponry could be heard.  The Praetorian Guard had begun taking defensive maneuvers.  But the Drophyd mechs opened to reveal rocket launchers which they fired at the air ships.  The ships all dodged out of the way but the rockets changed direction to hit the ships in the back.   _Seeker ammo,_  Alister realized.  It was the seeker ammo that the Center for Advanced Lombax Research had been working on, designed to tail a ship until the rocket ran out of fuel.  Then it would explode wherever it was in an attempt to cause collateral damage.  His brown eyes were focused on what they could see of the battle from the distance they stood at.  It still hurt to think that he was solely responsible for this decimation.

"He's in the city," Kaden noted.  His eyes widened as he muttered, barely audible, "my family."  Before Alister could even react the yellow-furred Lombax kicked on a pair of hoverboots and launched his way toward the devastation.

"Kaden!"  Was he insane?  Was he really going to race into a battlefield where completely armoured soldiers using heavy artillery were being picked off one by one?  He would get himself killed!  The sand-coloured Lombax kicked on his own hoverboots and dashed to catch up with his friend.  Kaden had always been the better hoverbooter, it wouldn't be easy to reach him now that he had gotten a head start.

"Don't you  _dare_  try to stop me Alister!  They need me!" Kaden insisted.  His wife and son must have been at home in the very city being attacked now.  Alister knew that they meant the universe to him and he wouldn't let anything happen to them.  That didn’t mean that Alister was willing to sit by and let his friend die when his soldiers could just as easily protect them.

"Kaden if you go back then they will  _kill_  you!  Just wait in the Court and let the Guard evacuate them from your home," Alister suggested.

"You really expect me sit and wait inside the Court while my family is possibly dead?!  Besides, I trust myself more than _your_ soldiers!" Kaden spat as he sped up.

Alister finally allowed himself to stop, taking in heavy gulps of air as he tried to catch his breath.  Kaden was too far ahead of him, there was no chance to catch him and he was out of earshot, so he couldn’t be reasoned with.  Once his breathing stabilized he let out a sigh, processing how insulted and hurt he felt. Kaden was his closest and truest friend. They had known each other as children and had grown up together. Yes, Alister realized that now that Kaden had a family, he came second to them, but the sting of his words still felt like a knife twisting in his gut.  He wanted his friend safe, and Alister knew that his friend could throw himself into danger too quickly.  There was a very real chance that Kaden could get himself killed.

He didn't know what he would do if he lost Kaden.


	2. Those Who Need You

Kaden was known for being reckless.  He was known for being headstrong and for jumping into any danger, with no care for any potential consequences.

So if anyone would jump into the middle of a war zone, despite the protests of their best friend to desperately try and save their family, it would be him.

The sight of the battlefield was startling.  What was once a magnificent, beautiful city, home to an advanced technological race of Lombaxes had now been decimated until it was nothing more than ruins of what once was.  Kaden found himself shuddering slightly at the sight, slowing down so he could do nothing but stare in silent awe.  How could they be destroyed so easily?

_It helps when the enemy manages to get their hands on more advanced weaponry than what we're using._  Kaden shook his head and found himself growling, voicing his frustration.  How could Alister have made such a critical mistake?  When Tachyon had first come to the Center to suggest working together to save Polaris, everyone had been wary of him, Alister included.  He had showed them brilliant ideas, but Kaden still couldn't help but feel like the Cragmite couldn't be trusted.  Most of the other councilmembers agreed.  But Alister had been sucked right into Tachyon's plan, admiring the Cragmite's brilliant schematics, getting to the point where he didn't care about anyone else's warnings.  It didn't matter, because Alister was sure it was the right thing to do.  And damn if he couldn't be stubborn.  Alister had eventually gotten to the point where he so believed in Tachyon's plans and his lies that even Kaden's opinion hadn't mattered.

But Kaden had believed that Alister was the Elder Councilman for a reason.  That perhaps he saw something in the Cragmite that Kaden refused to see and that maybe Tachyon could even be trusted.  It turned out it had been the other way around. Alister had been so desperate for anything to look like help that he had been willing to trust the villain.  Now he had their technology, their secrets and their weapons.  If only Kaden had been more insistent, if only he could have made Alister realize that he was making a grave mistake.

Kaden shook his head, he couldn't let himself worry about the mistakes that had already been made.  He had to take care of the ones that he could prevent.  He kicked the boosters on in his hoverboots and moved as quickly as he could, dodging fallen buildings and launching himself over debris to make his way to his home.

His wife, his son.  They had to be alive.  He needed them to be.  He wouldn't know what to do if Tachyon's Drophyd army had already attacked them.  There was enough death already, it would hurt too much if he would have to bury his own family.  He loved them, much too much.  Of course Alister wouldn't have understood.  How could he insist that Kaden just go and hide in the Court of Azimuth?  He couldn't just sit and wait to see if they were alive!  It didn't work that way when there was someone else who was a part of you.  You needed to know that they were alive, needed to protect them, needed to make sure they were okay.  Every moment of uncertainty felt like he was being torn apart over and over.

Alister couldn't understand that.  Not until he had a family of his own.  And just as Alister had decided that Kaden's opinion was unimportant about Tachyon, Kaden had ignored Alister's demand to go to the Court and had simply taken off.   He knew that Alister wouldn't have been able to catch up to him or force him to stop.

He knew the path to his home and yet as he stopped where it should have been he could only gasp at the nearly unrecognizable structure that stood where his house once was.  The building was somehow was still standing, but the whole roof had caved in and left only a shell of what the house had once been.  Kaden just stared at the building, trying to find a sign that his wife had managed to escape with their son.  Or perhaps he was too afraid to go inside and discover the truth for himself.  He felt his teeth gnaw together with worry as he stared up at his home.  He couldn't hear a sound coming from within.  How did he know if they were even in there?  Should he search, just to make sure?  Just to reassure himself that they truly managed to escape?

Suddenly a cry pierced the air.  Not a cry of pain or suffering, but the cry of a baby, one who wasn't being attended to.  And it was coming from inside the ruins of Kaden's home.  He felt his ears draw back in silent horror as he recognized the wailing.  It was his son.  His son was still inside the destroyed building.

"I'm coming!" he called.  He was only answered by more crying.  He opened the front door and debris tumbled out from the entrance.  Pieces of the roof and destroyed siding avalanched their way out the open doorway.  Kaden stared at it, awed.  Was his family buried under this rubble?  He didn't have time to dwell on the answer.  He picked up piles of the debris and tossed it out of his way, only allowing more to fall in through the doorway.  He stared at the wall of debris blocking his way, distraught.  It was the only thing preventing him from reaching his family and they  _needed_ him.  He began digging, just shoving the debris and forcing it away from him as he made his way into the house.  He forced himself to breathe as he tunneled through the debris, pushing aside the terrifying thought that he might just bury himself along with his family.  He just kept digging and digging, desperate to find those he cared about.  He followed the sound of his son's crying as the urgency in his voice pushed him onward, the wails forcing him forward to rescue his child and his wife.  He needed them.  He needed them to be alright.

Finally he found yellow fur beneath the rubble.  A smile broke its way onto the Lombax's face.  He kept digging until he found the still body of his wife clinging tightly to their son, protecting him by pressing him to her chest.  The crying still continued and Kaden picked up his son, cradling him and brushing dirt and dust out of his face.  The boy quieted down and blinked green eyes up at his father.  He was alright.  The father pulled his son into an embrace, gently pressing his cheek into his son's, glad to know that he was alive and well.

Kaden smiled down at his wife, "It's alright now.  I've rescued you, we can go take refuge in the Court of Azimuth together."  His smile turned into confusion though as his wife didn't respond.  She didn't even blink open her eyes.  She wasn't… she couldn't be.  Her form was curled limply, despite the dirt and debris covering her.  "I don't understand."  Kaden shook her shoulder, unable to accept that she wouldn’t react.  There was no way she was gone.  He had come  _back_  for her.  He had come to save her!  She couldn't be dead.  She was asleep, or possibly even unconscious, but not dead!  She couldn't be, not when he still needed her!  He wouldn't let her leave him, he wouldn't allow it.  He needed her by his side, he loved her too much to accept that she could be gone.

Kaden reached out to grab his wife's hand, needing its warmth to reassure him that she would be alright.  Instead, it was so cold.  Ice cold.  The truth smacked him hard in the face.  He was too late.  He had left her side and had let her die.  Tears sparked in his emerald eyes as he looked down at her.  "No."  He tried to deny it, tightening his grip on her hand.  She didn't move a muscle, she didn't get any warmer.  "No!" he insisted, it couldn't be right.  The evidence was right there, but he chose not to believe it.  How would he go on without her?  How could he still live when part of him was gone?  He could feel his heart snapping into pieces.

How could he allow Tachyon to do this?  He should have known Alister would have done something stupid.  He should have insisted more, should have made sure Alister understood that Tachyon could not be trusted.  Instead he had just been passive, choosing to believe in his friend.  Now people were dying because of his and Alister’s naivety.  He could have lived with the countless deaths he had already witnessed today.  But how could she,  _she,_  die?  How could someone he cared so deeply about, someone he would die to protect, someone he loved with every bit of his heart, die?

"No…" he buried his head into her chest, unable to leave her.  She was still so cold.  "No, no, no, no.  It's not possible.  I can't live on without you.  I need you.  Our son needs you," Kaden cried into his wife's chest.

Suddenly his despair was pushed aside by feelings of rage that he couldn't understand.  "Tachyon will pay," Kaden muttered as he tightened his grip on his wife's hand.  "I will kill him or I will join you trying."  He continued ranting, saying how Tachyon would suffer for what he had done to the Lombaxes, to the ones he loved, to Kaden himself.  He was swallowed by rage, rational thoughts leaving him, the sounds of the battle around him deafened by the prize that awaited him if he continued living.  His revenge.

A loud wail pierced the air and Kaden was snapped out of his rage driven thoughts.  He turned to see his son, arms held out toward him, needy for attention.  That was right, part of his family was still here.  Part of his family still needed him.  He scooped his son up into his arm, balanced him in the crook of his elbow and gave him a sad smile.  He didn't know how long he kneeled there in the rubble with the remainder of his family in one arm, and his hand intertwined tightly with the part that he had lost.

He pulled himself away from his wife and dropped her hand, sorry that he couldn't spend more time with her.  But he had to keep moving.  He had to make sure that his son survived.  There was no time, especially if the Drophyds would return to this area.

"I love you. So, so much."  Kaden squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to stop the tears dripping down them.  "And I'm so, so sorry."  He stared at the giant mech in the distance, very aware that it was Tachyon in a customized throne-like machine that had originally been designed by Lombaxes.  He stared at the Cragmite and swore that he would be responsible for the villain's death.

He slowly made his way to his feet and looked down one last time at his wife before kicking on his hoverboots, holding his son tightly against him.  He used his boots to burst through the layer of debris that blanketed them, pushing himself back to the smoke blotted sky.  From his perch above his house he could only look down at what his world had become.  The destruction of his home, the deaths of the innocent Lombaxes, the death of his beloved.  He would avenge them all.  Or he would die trying.


	3. Lost Pride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter comes to you a day early because I'm going to be out of town. I don't know for how long, a family emergency came up. Hopefully I'll be back home by Friday to update the next chapter on time. If not then I'll upload it as soon as I'm home and then return to the Tuesday/Friday update schedule from the nearest Tuesday/Friday. So apologies in advanced for any delays!
> 
> 'Til then, enjoy!

Alister was standing in the Court of Azimuth, watching as Lombaxes flooded in, demanding the protection they should have been the guaranteed.  The protection they needed now because of him.

The Praetorian Guard had been shattered.  Their fighter and battle ships were all destroyed, their weaponry had been smashed, their soldiers were now dead or beaten and broken.  Tachyon would arrive in the Court soon, would take out all of the Lombaxes there and succeed in ridding the galaxy of them.

"We need to get the Dimensionator," Alister announced loudly, drawing the attention of the gathered Lombaxes.  "We can't stay here anymore.  If we try to flee from Fastoon then Tachyon will tear the galaxy apart searching for us."  He felt his hands clenching tightly into fists, ashamed at himself for having to admit defeat.  "We have to leave this dimension.  Then Tachyon will leave the galaxy in peace."

"So we're going to run with our tails between our legs?" one Lombax demanded.  He was glaring defiantly at Alister, clearly not wanting to listen to his advice.

The Elder Councilman found himself staring at the ground, unable to look that gaze in the eye.  "We're going to make sure we aren't  _killed_."

"Your last plan for safety measures involved showing all of our secrets to a Cragmite who wanted to commit genocide against us," one of the members of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research exclaimed.  "Why should we listen to any more of your suggestions?" he added with a hiss.

"Because it was Kaden's idea, not mine.  I'm just telling you while he goes to rescue his family," Alister admitted weakly.   He knew they had lost all respect for him, there was no point in trying to defend himself when they all knew he was nothing more than a failure in their eyes.

"Well then," the Councilmember smirked as he stated loudly, "let's get the Dimensionator then!"  He and the other members went to go get the device which had been hidden and locked away after the Great War to prevent the machine from being used incorrectly.

Applause and cheering broke out, the Lombaxes glad to know that they were finally being taken care of and a plan was underway to protect them.  Alister wrapped his arms tightly around himself, distraught as he accepted that these Lombaxes who had once looked up to him and once acknowledged him as a revered leader, now thought of him as nothing but a traitor and the reason they had to run away.  He was anguished and he couldn't bring himself to look at any of the others.  He could only see the effects this attack had caused.  He was such an  _idiot_.  How could he have failed his race like this?  How could he have made such a crucial mistake, one that cost the lives of so many of the people he had sworn to protect?

Everyone had told him he was naive for trusting Tachyon and they were right.  Why hadn't he listened?  Why hadn't he believed them?  Why had he just been so stubborn, that he had actually shown that Cragmite the work the Center had been doing?  Why had he  _trusted_  him?  They had sat and talked and cooperated and corroborated and _laughed_ together.  Alister had been friendly and Tachyon had reciprocated.  Had all of that been lies to manipulate Alister so he could carry out this assault?

A hand was on his shoulder and he was about to growl at the person, ready to bite their head off if he had to.  He didn't want to talk to anyone and he  _especially_  didn't want someone to feel sorry for him and his mistakes.

But he turned to see a familiar pair of green eyes looking up at him softly.  It was Kaden, holding his son in his arms, smiling sadly at him.  "You alright?  I heard they were getting the Dimensionator ready."

"Kaden! You're alright," Alister exclaimed, beaming down at his friend.  He was surprised, when Kaden had gone to save his family Alister had  _not_  expected him to come back in one piece.  Knowing that he had not only managed to avoid getting himself killed, but he had been successful was enough to give him a bit of confidence, despite the accusations of the others tearing him down.  But there was one thing missing.  Where was his wife?  She must have been in the crowd with the rest of the Lombaxes.  Alister smiled down at the little boy in his friend's arms and stated, "Hey!  You got them!  Where's-"

Alister stopped as he heard a pained wince escape his friend.  He looked up to see Kaden's smile leave his face instantaneously.  He held on tighter to the child in his arms and squinted his eyes shut tightly, trying to block out Alister's question.

"Kaden?" the sand-coloured Lombax tried again.  What was wrong?

"Gone," Kaden finally managed to answer.  His ears dropped back against his head and Alister noticed him curl slightly.  He was trying to barrier himself from the other Lombax.  Perhaps even from the reality of what he had just acknowledged out loud.

"I'm sorry."  Alister found himself feeling guilty instantly once he realized what Kaden meant.  Alister let out a pained gasp and forced himself to look away from Kaden.  How could his actions have gotten her killed?  She was more than Kaden’s wife.  She was one of his closest friends and now she was _dead._  It hurt to think that she was gone.  He couldn’t imagine how much more so for Kaden.

"Don't apologize," Kaden snapped.  His green eyes were locked onto his friend's and Alister could see the whirlwind of emotions blowing through them.  There was sadness, anger and guilt clouding them and Alister couldn't stand seeing it.  Kaden had no reason to feel guilty for his wife's death.

"But it's my fault," the general protested.

"I know.  And I'll feel guilty whether I accept your apology or not," Kaden snapped, the truth spilling in his rage.  Alister understood immediately; if he accepted Alister's apology, then he admitted that it was alright that he had let his wife _die_.  If he denied the apology, he hurt his friend.  Either way he lost.

"Kaden."  Alister had not expected this reaction from the other Lombax.  He knew Kaden was upset, especially now that he had lost his wife.  But to take it out on  _him_?  Whatever hell Kaden was going through, Alister was going through his own.  Perhaps Kaden thought he was to blame for his wife's death and knew he would have to live without her, but Alister was the cause of  _all_  of the people's deaths, of the destruction of Fastoon.  He was the reason that the Lombaxes had to flee this  _dimension_  just to try and be safe.  He had unleashed a Cragmite menace on this planet.  And all he wanted was to find some way to correct it.  Was forgiveness from his best friend too much to ask for?

The murmurs of the terrified Lombaxes died down as a large portal appeared in the center of the Court.  "The Dimensionator is operational!" one of the councilmembers called as the Lombaxes could only stare at it in awe and wonder.  Alister had personally never seen the device, having only joined the Center after the Great War.  Staring at it now he was amazed.  It was so hard to believe that such a device had been created by his own people.

Kaden smiled at the device, proud at knowing that he had helped create it.  He had been very young during the Great War, and definitely had not been part of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research.  But Kaden had always been headstrong and when he was young he had been incredibly persistent.  He had stormed into the Center and gone before the Council, throwing down plans he had designed for the Dimensionator.  Kaden had always been a smart Lombax, perhaps even one of the smartest Lombaxes of their time, and he hadn't been afraid to prove it.  While the Councilmembers took his plan into consideration, correcting his schematics and having the device built, Kaden had gotten very little for his invention.  In fact, he wasn't even named as one of the eight Lombaxes responsible for building the machine.  While Kaden had been angered, he had been granted a position on the Council as his reward, which he had accepted gratefully, almost forgetting that credit had been stolen for his idea.

Kaden hadn't been able to see the device fired up the first and only time it was used to defeat the Cragmites.  Now seeing the device being used again, he could stare in awe at the final outcome of his plans.  Alister was glad to see a smile on his friend's lips again.  He was relieved that in spite of what had happened he was still able to feel pride and joy.  He hoped it boded well for his future; that he would be able to recover from today’s events.

But Kaden's moment of awe was short lived.  His gaze snapped from the device to the faces of the Lombaxes, clearly wondering what they could be waiting for.  "Go on.  We have to hurry before Tachyon gets here!  Everyone go through, I'll stay behind and hide the Dimensionator."

"Why would you do that?" Alister asked, "go through with the others, who cares about the machine?!"

"Tachyon," Kaden answered.  "He'll want it to bring the Cragmites back.  Or he'll use it to get to us and kill us.  I won't allow either scenario to happen.  I'll hide it."  His voice was insistent, not leaving room for any kind of dissuasion.

"Then make  _him_  stay behind to hide it!" one of the councilmembers exclaimed, a finger pointed accusingly at Alister.  "This is all his fault, he should be the one to stay behind!  Kaden, you  _deserve_  to come with us.  You've actually tried to protect us while all he's done is gotten us killed."

Alister and Kaden blinked at each other before staring at the councilmember in shock.  How could he say such a thing?  "What have I done? I've been running through the city putting my life at risk so I could go and save my son.  Alister's been getting people to take refuge in the Court and told you to get the Dimensionator going.  Yes, he made a mistake, and yes, you can blame him if you'd like, but it doesn't change the fact that he's doing his best to correct it by protecting as many as he can while I've been selfishly only caring about myself and  _my_  family!"

Alister looked down at his feet, hiding the pleased grin that had worked its way on his face.  He was very glad Kaden was defending him, especially since he knew that at the same time the other Lombax was dealing with a turmoil that he blamed his friend for.  It was good to see Kaden on his side again.  Simultaneously Alister couldn’t help but feel ashamed and found he couldn’t bring himself to look at either Councilmember.  These people who had once been his friends and who he had worked with were now completely against him.  And if he tried to share a look with Kaden, his friend's demeanor would immediately show the hurt he blamed Alister for.  The sand-coloured Lombax couldn't bear to see that.

"Kaden, we'll need you in this new dimension,” the councilmember begged.  “We'll need you to protect us like he couldn't.”  Without Kaden prompting him the man continued, his tail lashing furiously with frustration.  “Don't you dare try to defend him, you and I both know he gave Tachyon what he needed to commit this attack.  Kaden, we need you to remain with us in the Center for Advanced Lombax Research.  There are so many accomplishments that we wouldn't be able to make without you.  Please, come with us!"

"No, I've made my decision."  Kaden stared away from the other Lombaxes and muttered to himself, "I have unfinished business here."

Alister stared at his friend in confusion.  What unfinished business could Kaden be talking about?  With Fastoon destroyed there was nothing left for the Lombaxes in this dimension.

The councilmember glared at Kaden, not happy about his resistance to join them in this new dimension but at a loss for how he could convince him to reconsider.

Kaden simply looked away.  He was clearly too lost in his own thoughts.  But when he turned back to find the other councilmember glaring at him, he and Alister commanded at the same time, "Well?  Let's get going!"  The Lombax only shook his head, turning away from the pair in disgust as he helped the other Lombaxes to make their way into the portal.  They all flooded into the wormhole, not wanting to wait another second for Tachyon to arrive.  Alister smiled at Kaden, wanting to show that at least they would be able to protect some lives.  But Kaden wouldn't smile back.  In fact he just glared at his friend.  Alister bit his lip and turned away to watch the portal as the Lombaxes traveled through it.  Just as he had predicted, one shared look with Kaden had caused Alister to feel awash with shame.  He had hurt his best friend, ruined his life in a way neither could have ever imagined possible.  How was he supposed to say goodbye when they couldn’t even look one another in the eye without feeling misery?

He would be going through the portal soon.  Without Kaden.  It was a horrifying thought.  The two were like brothers, having been childhood friends and growing up together.  Even when they weren't together for too long Alister felt separation anxiety.  Kaden had always been the leader when they were younger, jumping into dangers without second thought and managing to convince Alister to join.  How had the roles managed to reverse so much?  Now Alister was the leader of the Lombaxes, having control of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research and a high ranking position in the Praetorian Guard.  Perhaps leadership was a role that Alister was never meant to fill.

But now, he could only stare at his friend and wonder, what would it be like, knowing that they would be separated permanently?  Alister didn't want to remain in this dimension anymore.  His failure would stagnate, continuing to haunt him day after day.  How could he remain in this place and not think of how peaceful it had once been before Alister had accepted Tachyon's "help"?

And at the same time, Kaden was so determined to stay here. Alister didn't understand why and couldn't see what was keeping the yellow-furred Lombax in this dimension.  But Kaden was adamant.  And so the two would be separated.  Alister sighed and he could only watch as the Lombaxes continued flooding into portal.  Soon only a few members of the Council and the Praetorian Guard were left.  It was time for him to go.  Alister turned to Kaden, catching his friend's eye.  Green met brown for a moment, wording the emotions that neither could speak aloud.  The sand-coloured Lombax placed an arm on his friend's shoulder, "Good bye,” he murmured quietly.

"Good luck, Alister." Kaden muttered, breaking away from his friend's gaze.  Azimuth took a deep breath and left Kaden's side, making his way toward the wormhole.  As he reached out toward the portal, almost about to touch it, two members of the Praetorian Guard stepped before him, blocking his way.

The Lombax general jumped back, startled by the two guards' interference.  Why weren't they letting him through?  He was their  _leader_.  "What is the mean-"

"Where do you think  _you're_  going?" one of the guards asked with a ferocious glare fixed on Alister as he raised his weapon.  Alister took a step back, unprepared for such aggression from a lower ranked soldier.

Before he could call him out for treason the second soldier raised his own weapon and added, "What makes you think we want you in this dimension?"

"You've already ruined one home for us."  Alister turned around to see the councilmembers enclosing in around him.  The general felt completely trapped as he was surrounded on all sides by the other Lombaxes.  He felt uneasiness crawl up his spine and instinct drove him to reach for his wrench despite the fact he knew this wasn't a problem he could strike away.  "Why should we allow you to destroy this new one too?"

Before he could answer, an older member of the Council started to proclaim, "For your crimes, General Alister Azimuth, you are forbidden from joining us in this new dimension and we strip you of your position on the Council and in the Praetorian Guard.  Any attempt to infiltrate our new home will be met with execution."  He turned to Kaden and added, "Kaden, please reconsider.  We've discussed among the Council and decided that we want you to be the Elder Councilman.  Join us, please, be the leader that we need."

Alister turned sharply to Kaden, expecting to see a look of contemplation on his friend's face.  Alister himself had jumped at the offer to become Elder Councilman, not even taking a moment to second guess.  It was a huge honour, and now when the Lombaxes relied on the Center most, being the Elder Councilman made one leader of the Lombaxes.  But Kaden didn't even look like he was thinking about it.  He shook his head and exclaimed, "I've already told you, I'm staying in this dimension.  Besides, you’re only offering me the position to punish Alister and I refuse to do that to him."

Alister smiled at his friend.  He wanted him to take the position, it was an honour he more than deserved, but at the same time, he was glad his friend had refused it for his sake.  The councilmembers all just shook their heads, disappointed that such a brilliant mind refused to join them in their dimension.  "You're making a grave mistake, Kaden,” the Lombax growled before making his way through the portal.

The guards and the Councilmembers made their way into the portal and one of them exclaimed, "Have fun dealing with the Cragmite on your own."  Alister cringed at the reality that Tachyon was still there, still attacking the city and he still wanted the remaining Lombaxes dead.  The last Lombax jumped into the portal, allowing it to close behind him.

Alister could only blink at where the portal had once been.  He reached out his hand, trying to touch the now non-existent wormhole.  They were gone.  And they had made it very clear that to follow after them would mean signing his own death warrant.  He was trapped in this ruin he had caused.  He wanted to be with them.  He wanted a second chance.  He wanted to join them, he wanted to lead them and make up for the mistake he had caused.  But now, all he could do was stare with anguish in his eyes as all of that was stripped from him along with the chance to be with his people, along with his rank in the guard, along with his position as their leader.

He turned to Kaden and his son.  This was it.  They were the last ones.  The last Lombaxes left in this dimension.  And it was still all his fault.


	4. What I Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, if I knew I was going to wind up uploading this so late I would have said so in my last update.
> 
> I'm really sorry about the delay. Like I said before, family emergency. My grandmother passed away so I was out of town for a week and a half and snuck in some editing on my phone when I could, but otherwise I put everything on hold.
> 
> So I'm going to upload on Saturday this week (instead of Friday) and from then on we should be back to our regular Tuesday/Friday programming.
> 
> Thanks for your patience and enjoy!

Kaden couldn't believe what had happened.  Alister had just been completely stripped of his position as leader of the Lombaxes, and instead it had been offered to him.  And he had  _ denied _  it.  He looked at Alister and the two friends could only blink, surprised by all that had taken place in the past few moments.  How could Kaden have denied such a position of respect and honour?  One that he had wanted so badly.  Even after Alister had obtained it, Kaden had still dreamed of becoming Elder Councilman, praying for the day Alister’s duties as a high ranking military general would force him to retire the title.  How could he be so quick to let it go?

Was it really because of some noble idea that he would never betray his friend in such a way?  Partially.  No matter how distraught Kaden was, watching Alister being stripped of everything he had lived for had hurt  _ Kaden _  like a stab in the back.  Imagining how Alister must have felt was horrifying.  To have all of his life's achievements taken away in one fell swoop.  And for them to be offered to his best friend, right in front of his face.  It was obvious that the rest of the Council had intended to insult and hurt him.  From the look on Alister's face as he had gazed up at Kaden, wondering what his friend would decide, he had looked almost  _ traumatized _ .

Thankfully Kaden hadn't even been the slightest bit tempted to take his friend's old position on the Council.  He hadn't even bothered to consider the possibilities of going to the other dimension, to be the Elder Councilman, to get a second chance.  He refused it all in an instant.  Why?

_ Revenge _ .

That was what was planting Kaden's feet securely in this dimension, rather than allowing him to join the others.  He wanted to watch Tachyon die, or watch him crumble or  _ anything _ .  Anything to make up for what had happened to his wife.  He used to once consider the creature innocent.  When he was a child.  He had watched the Cragmite grow with high hopes for him, sure he could be proof that the Cragmites weren’t inherently evil and he could possibly even become an ambassador to them or other races in the future.  But as Kaden witnessed the Cragmite mature he had seen how the creature slowly made the transition from naive to plotting.  Kaden had seen evil intentions in his eyes.  That day when he had approached the Council Kaden had seen a mad desperation and he’d known that trusting Percival Tachyon alone with their schematics was a mistake.  However, he couldn’t deny that there was an opportunity there.  They could use the Cragmite’s mind to good use, so long as he was supervised.  He’d still had hope for him, even if he couldn’t be trusted.

But now.  Now knowing, seeing,  _ experiencing _  what he was capable of, Kaden would willingly tear that little Cragmite's throat out.  He didn't care if he would die in the process.  He wanted to hurt him  _ somehow _ .  He would do anything, if he even just managed one hit, if he managed one painfully insulting taunt, managed to foil one plot.  Any of these and more would satisfy Kaden, as long as he succeeded in doing  _ something _  to harm the little Cragmite physically or mentally.

Kaden's thoughts tumbled into rage, revenge and anger.  He thought of his wife, of his displaced people, of his damaged home and he fell further and further into his thoughts.  They became gruesome, almost sadistic as Kaden imagined how he would approach the Cragmite.  How he would confront him, degrade him for his crimes, guilt him for what he had done to the people who had cared for and raised him.  He would find the strength to topple the Cragmite's throne, watch him fall and then kick him, beat him and bruise him until there was nothing left but a once proud villain drowning in his own blood.  Even more brutal deaths appeared in his mind and Kaden smiled sadistically at the thoughts.  Until crying suddenly startled him.

His thoughts were all shoved aside as he held his son up, staring into the baby's eyes.  He couldn't think like this, not with his son around.  The boy needed him more than he needed his revenge.  As long as his son was dependent on him he could never do anything reckless that would endanger him and his child.  He wouldn't allow it, no matter how desperately he may have wanted Tachyon dead.

The boy seemed to sense the care returning into his father's thoughts.  He stopped crying and reached out towards Kaden.  The Lombax pressed his son against him, letting him rest his head on his father's shoulder.  Letting him know his father was there to protect him.

"Kaden."  Alister picked up the Dimensionator and walked over to his friend.  He cradled the device carefully, protecting the last connection to the Lombaxes in the other dimension.  "What do we do now?"

Kaden stared from the boy in his arms to the Dimensionator in his friend's.  What did Tachyon want more than anything?  To destroy the Lombaxes and bring back the Cragmites.  How wouldn't he be able to destroy the Lombaxes?  By preventing Tachyon from reaching their dimension.  How could he prevent the Cragmites from coming back?  By hiding the Dimensionator.

Kaden knew that even if he failed in a fight against the Cragmite then at least he could stop him from succeeding in his plans.  He shuffled his son into one arm and gestured for Alister to pass the Dimensionator.

Alister looked lost, like he clearly needed someone to guide him, knowing he had made too big of a mistake when he was in charge.  At Kaden's signal he remembered when they were younger and how he used to follow the other Lombax's instructions with minimal questions.  Alister immediately gave him the device without a second thought.  Kaden balanced the Dimensionator carefully, making sure not to lose his grip on his son.  Then he started walking out of the Court.  "Kaden, what are you doing?" the sand coloured Lombax asked of his friend, tailing him as he made his way out of the citadel.

"Leaving,” he answered.

"What?!" Alister’s astonishment came out as a squawk.  He hadn’t been prepared for Kaden's short, to the point answer.  He must have been expecting an explanation.  And when he didn't get it he asked, "Why?"

"I'm hiding the Dimensionator and my son.  I'm not going to let that Cragmite get his hands on either."  Kaden moved outside the Court, searching for one of the fighter ships that was supposed to be repaired by the technicians that week.  He selected one that had a few minor problems, but Kaden could fix them with ease.  It would be simpler than trying to fix one of the wrecked ones that had been totaled during the fight with Tachyon and his Drophyds.  He opened the cockpit to the ship and carefully placed the Dimensionator and his son inside.  As he jumped off the nose of the ship he left the cockpit open, in case the boy needed him.

"Why hide your son?  Are you going to leave him on his own?"

"You think I'm  _ that _  irresponsible?" Kaden asked, insulted.  Leaving his son alone was the last thing he would do, especially if there was a chance the boy would be persecuted against.  But he needed to find someone to take care of him.  He couldn't fight Tachyon if his son was dependent on him.  The risk of his death was much too great.  He would make sure that his son was safe and secure, somewhere as far from Tachyon's reach as possible.

"But you are going to leave him aren't you?  Then what'll you do?"

"That's for me to decide Alister,"  Kaden couldn't tell his friend his true intentions.  He would try and stop him, use his son as a reason why he shouldn't try to fight Tachyon.  But he  _ had _  to.  He needed to at least try to fight.  Otherwise he'd live the rest of his life wondering if he could defeat the Cragmite, wondering if he could have avenged his innocent wife.

"I know you Kaden.  And I'm going to say this.  He has a giant mech that is more advanced than any piece of completed Lombax technology along with an army of loyal Drophyd followers.  You have  _ a wrench. _ "  Alister pointed to the wrench in question, which Kaden had pulled out to begin working on the ship.  "You won't accomplish anything by dying."

"No one will know where the Dimensionator is," Kaden pointed out as he opened the hatch of the space ship and took a look at the engine, checking what needed repairs.

"And your son?"

"He  _ definitely _  won't find my son," Kaden assured.

"Kaden, please don't do this.  You're the last thing I  _ have _  here.  I don't want anything to happen to you.  If you  _ died _ …" Alister paused, unable to voice the potential repercussions of his friend's death.  "Kaden, please."  It was a sad sight to watch Alister beg.  He was normally so proud.  He wouldn't bow down to anyone.  Not even the Cragmites during the Great War when the general had just been a lowly corporal in the Praetorian Guard.  Now hearing him beg, hearing him so desperate to keep Kaden at his side, it hurt the yellow-furred Lombax.

Kaden stroked his own cheek gently, running his finger along the stripes of orange that marked it.  It was a nervous reaction, one he was resorting to now as he struggled to respond.  He didn't know what to say to his friend.  So instead he sighed and chose to ignore him so he could return to working on the ship.  He had no words to assure his friend since he had no intention of abandoning his plans to attack Tachyon.  Alister may have needed him alive but he couldn’t be.  Not while Tachyon was still around, wreaking havoc.

"Do you want to come with me Alister?" Kaden asked in an attempt to appease his friend.  "I don't know how long I'll be gone."

Alister let his gaze run over the ship, up to Kaden and into the contents sitting in the cockpit as he thought carefully before he made his decision.  Kaden didn’t admit it aloud but he could see fear in Alister’s gaze.  Knowing Tachyon was out there, probably scouring the galaxy for Lombaxes who were living off planet in order to kill them, he may have thought his best chance for survival was to wait on the planet whose Lombax population had been neaeradicated by the Cragmite.  "No, I think I'll stay here."  Alister looked away to the destroyed city.  "Even if the rest of the Council doesn't want me to think it, this is still my city and I do need to take care of it."

"Or are you afraid to leave?" Kaden challenged.  For all of Alister’s pretentious talk Kaden knew his friend just wanted to be in a comfort zone.  And anywhere else in the galaxy mustn't have felt very comforting for Alister, knowing that Tachyon could be there, conquering planets with the Lombax technology that  _ he _  had handed over to the Cragmite.

"So what if I am?" Alister asked, flustered.  "I want  _ something _  stable, is that so much to ask for?"

"Sadly,  _ yes _ ," Kaden answered as he slammed down the hatch to the engine, having finished the repairs.  "We all want a lot of things right now Alister.  I don't think that Tachyon's in a very charitable mood."  He hopped into the cockpit and turned on the ship.  The sound of the engine humming announced that Kaden had succeeded and managed to repair the ship.  He donned a sympathetic smile as he tried to cheer his friend up again, "You sure you don't want to come with me?  I could use your company," Kaden offered, the final chance for his friend to take the opportunity.  On the one hand he wanted his friend with him, for them to have adventures like they used to.  On the other he didn't want Alister there to keep prying at him to try and get him to abandon his outlandish idea for revenge.

"No, I'm sure."  But Alister didn't look so certain as he locked eyes with his friend.  In fact he looked downright conflicted.  "Oh, and Kaden?"

"What?"

"Just remember, even if you  _ do _  kill him, it still won't bring her back."  Alister left those as his last words as the cockpit closed up and Kaden prepared the ship to take off.

Of course it wouldn't bring his wife back.  That wasn't why Kaden wanted the Cragmite dead.  It was for his  _ crimes _ .  For what he had done to his people, to his home.  He wanted revenge, but it wasn't just for what he had lost, it was for what  _ every _  Lombax had lost.  It  _ wasn't _  just for himself.

Was it?


	5. Broken Pieces

Alister waved sadly as he watched his best friend leave.  When Kaden's ship broke through the atmosphere he dropped his arm and stared at where the spacecraft had disappeared into the depths of space.  Alister was upset and hurt as he realized there was nothing he could do to make the knots in his gut fade.  Kaden was still angry with him, no matter how much he wanted to deny it.  And because of that it was easy for the yellow furred Lombax to leave, easy for him to let his rage consume him.  Kaden thought that there was nothing left for him now that his wife was gone, and he was going to take on some self-assigned mission that would get himself killed.  Once he made himself believe he had nothing to lose, the only thing left would be to lose himself and Alister wouldn't be there to prevent it.

Alister immediately began to regret his decision to not go with Kaden.  He would have been able to spend time with him, would have been able to try and help him reconsider, and would have known where his son was in case he did go through with his insane plan.

If Kaden got hurt, or God forbid, killed on this venture of his Alister knew that it would be another death that he would have to blame himself for.  Kaden was trying to stop Tachyon from getting to the Dimensionator.  He was trying to protect the other Lombaxes.  The ones that Alister had put in danger in the first place.

He breathed out a pained sigh.  There was nothing he could do by just standing there, staring up at the sky and waiting for Kaden for however long his friend would be gone.  He turned, ever so slowly to the city of devastation.  The Drophyds were gone and the area was nothing but decimated ruins of what was once a beautiful city.  His city.

It hurt to put that foot out, to begin walking towards it.  It was bad enough from a distance.  How horrible of a sight would it be to see it up close and from within?  To see the real bodies, to see the once gorgeous homes now pulverized into nothing but rubble.  To see it void of all life.

And to know that he had caused it all.

As he made his way into the plaza in the city's center, the first thing that hit him in his approach of the area wasn't what he had expected.  He had expected the scene of the devastation to startle him.  The eerie silence.  The crunch of the destruction beneath his hoverboots.  These were the things that he was sure would shock the severity of Tachyon's attack into his system.

Instead, it was the smell.

The smell of death, the smell of fire.  The smell of blood, the smell of the air, growing thicker as the sky clouded black.  He couldn't even breathe once he reached the city limits.  He held his hand to his nose, trying to block out the smell.  But it just wouldn't  _ leave _ .  He could close his eyes and block out the sights.  He could cover his ears and block out the howling winds.  He could kick on his hoverboots and not feel the debris.  But that  _ smell.  _  Every time he breathed he was forced to taste it, to accept it.  It wouldn't let him deny that this was happening.

He spent a while trying to block out that smell, nothing making him think of the city more than that sting in his nose.  At least until he came across a body.  Then the reality of what he had walked into forced him to scream.  He literally screamed.  He had been through war.  He had seen bodies before.  He had seen them in the worst condition they came in.  But in spite of his experiences during the war he had never seen a body of a Lombax civilian.  He’d never seen someone dressed in casual attire, stained red with their own blood, their body strewn in an awkward, broken pose as their lifeless gaze stared endlessly at nothing.  It was too surreal to him.  Alister was tempted to shake the body, to try and wake the Lombax.  But the blood pooling around the body reminded Alister of the truth.  None of these people were alive.  All of these people were now nothing more than corpses.  He pulled himself away from the body and stepped back in pure shock.  The victim had a smile on their face.  Could they have been unaware of what had been going on?  Had they died completely innocent and completely blissful?  It was too horrifying for Alister to think that a life could be stripped away when one was so unknowing.  When they truly didn't deserve it.

As he came across more bodies Alister slowly felt himself begin to adjust, although they still managed to startle Alister just as much when he came across them.  The bodies of innocents.  He was used to soldiers, people prepared to lose their lives for the sake of justice.  Not the bodies of the horrified citizens who just wanted to get away from it all.

He reached his breaking point when he came across the bodies of a young couple.  They couldn't be older than their twenties.  They were even holding hands, having reached out for each other in their final moments.  Had Kaden's wife wished he had been by her side when she died?  Or had she been praying he was still alive to protect their son?  As Alister stared down at the pair he tried to blink away his guilt.  They were nothing more than a young love and a pair of young lives, gone for one fool's mistake.  He reached out an arm to graze the woman's hair, which had flown into her face, masking her in her final moments.  He wanted to know if being with the one who cared about her made her less frightful, or more.  He wanted to know how Kaden's wife had felt in her final moments, and thought that this woman might be the key to that answer.  Alister really and truly wanted to believe that Kaden's wife had at least died with the knowledge that she had kept her son alive, that she could have been at peace at the very least.

"Mister," a small voice called out.  Alister was completely caught off guard and spun around, falling flat on his rear as he blinked to see a little girl staring at him.  "Why are you bothering my Mommy?  She's sleeping."

"M-mom?" Alister looked from the girl to the woman dead on the ground.  The poor girl mustn't have understood what was happening when Tachyon attacked.  Sympathy drowned Alister as he realized that this girl didn't understand how much she had just lost.

"Mm-hmm."  The girl's small ears twitched backward and she stared at Alister, probably as curious about him as he was about her.  Alister could tell that she must have been born after the Great War.  She was very young, perhaps four or five years old.  And she had adopted what very many Lombaxes had after the war: weapon radiation.  After the Cragmites had been vanquished many children were born, the Lombaxes gleeful in learning that their battle with their greatest enemy was over.  What they didn't know was that many of the children that they had hoped for so dearly would either not want to be conceived or would be born with defects.  Kaden had been so proud to show off his perfectly healthy son when the boy had been born.  It had been a growing concern during his wife's pregnancy, especially since it had been so hard for her to conceive in the first place, like many women after the war.

And it was a sad sight to see some of the children who were affected by a war that hadn't even been theirs.  This girl was missing her tail, like many children who had been born with missing limbs.  And while most Lombax children had very long ears which they grew into with age, this girl's were short, standing almost upright into two triangles, rather than flowing back.

"How come you're not sleeping?" the little girl asked.

"What?" Alister pulled himself up so he was crouching on his knees, trying to make himself look less like an idiot who had just fallen on his butt and more like the general people were used to respecting, kneeling down to speak at a young child's level.

"Everyone else.  They're asleep."

"Look, kid, I don't know how to explain this, but those people aren't asleep," Alister tried to explain gently.  He knew she was young and the truth would come as a shock to her, but she couldn't go on believing that these people were asleep.  The people needed respectful burials, not to have their bodies tossed aside and left to rot, which would happen if Alister and the girl left the bodies alone because they were just "sleeping".  He needed the girl to cooperate with him, and she wouldn't if she thought he was burying people in their sleep.

"I know they're not."  Tears welled up in the girl's eyes.  "But I like to believe they are.  It hurts less."  She bit her lip and stared past Alister to the body of her mother behind him.

"C'mon."  He didn't want to watch the little girl cry.  He himself wished he could be a child and burst into tears, but he wouldn't allow himself.  Crying was something you stopped doing when you grew up.  Even after the Great War and how it had nearly driven so many Lombaxes insane, Alister wouldn't allow himself to fall into tears.  No matter how much of the worst of the world he had seen, he couldn't do it.  Instead he scratched an eyebrow while he waited for the girl to wipe away her tears.  He hadn't meant to upset her, he just wanted to explain to her what had happened.

"What happened to everyone else?  All the Lombaxes who went to the Court?" the girl asked as she wiped away the tears that threatened to stain her fur.

"They all used a device called the Dimensionator to get away from here so Tachyon couldn't hurt them," Alister explained briefly.

"Oh.”  There was so much pain and anguish in that one short syllable.  She must have understood that she had lost any chance she’d had to live with the surviving Lombaxes in peace.  Her voice was so small as she murmured, “I guess I should have gone with them then."  The girl looked up at Alister and explained, "Everyone was just screaming at me "head to the Court, head to the Court" and then my parents got hurt, and I was trying to help them so they could take me.  But when they wouldn't get up I didn't want to leave them."  The girl's voice had grown very serious, to the point that it almost scared Alister.  Weren't four year olds supposed to be watching HV and colouring pictures?  It was frightening to hear one talking about death more calmly than most adults could.  "They're all gone now, aren't they?"

Her last words stung Alister.  Did she mean that everyone had managed to escape, or that they had all died?  Slowly, he managed to come up with an answer that was true to both.  "Yeah,” but when the girl prompted him with a tip of her head he decided to add, hoping she was referring to the former, "They used the Dimensionator to go to another dimension.  They probably won't be coming back."

"So it's just you and me left?"

"Yes, it's just you and me,” Alister answered solemnly as he looked down at the girl.  As far as he knew, Kaden wasn't coming back.


	6. Might Come in Handy

Kaden placed his hands on his hips, staring at the bunker where he had just sealed the Dimensionator.  The Lombax Lava Refinery on Rykan V was where the Dimensionator had been built and tested in secret so the Cragmites wouldn't be able to find or destroy it during the Great War.  The entrance way had Lombax encryptions on the door and the door would perform a bio-scan to only allow another Lombax entrance.  With only him, his son and Alister left in this dimension, Kaden was confident that Tachyon would never get his hands on it.

Kaden was actually smiling as he stared at the sealed entryway.  It was one more plan of Tachyon's that Kaden could prevent from happening and it was another way to piss off the diminutive Cragmite.  He stood there, gazing proudly at the locked chamber, completely unaware of any of his surroundings.

"Well, strange to see a Lombax 'round these parts nowadays. I hear that they're all gone."  Kaden spun around to see a blue-skinned alien gazing at him.  One of his eyes was hidden behind an eye patch and the other was small, beady and yellow with the smallest iris of blue, staring down at him.  A shadow from his wide brimmed hat darkened his face, making the man look slightly intimidating.

Kaden only glared back, not willing to be frightened by this strange person.

"Now, y'all wouldn't be actin' all silent because of me, would ya?"

"Kill him now! Bring Tachyon his head!" a small parrot cawed from where it sat on the alien's shoulder.  The man simply glared at his pet.

Kaden could only stare at the parrot, taken aback by his words.  Did Tachyon really have a bounty on him?  Or was it on Lombaxes in general?  "Look, I don't need any trouble,” Kaden stated as he tried to edge around the man.

"Trouble?  Well trouble isn't what I intend to cause.  I'm an innocent smuggler, trying to sell this old warp drive."  The Smuggler pulled out the device and Kaden stared at it, thinking of how it could be useful to him.  “However, in such dangerous times everyone’s skittish as Tharpod critters.  I can't find a customer willing to buy it."

"That would be because it's broken,” Kaden commented. The engine attachment was dented in multiple places and the Lombax could see a gear sliding, clearly in the wrong place.  More parts were either missing or misplaced.  And that was just from Kaden could see from the  _ outside _  of the device.

"Well, if a good mechanic could take it, he could fix it rather easily,” the Smuggler protested, trying to convince the Lombax of the device's potential usefulness.  Kaden knew he was trying to play to his Lombax pride but he wasn’t willing to be swayed.  Even if he could  _ definitely _ fix that warp drive with ease.

"Really?  The thing looks like it needs at least a good week's worth of work.  And that's if a pretty damn good mechanic worked nonstop,” Kaden insisted.  The warp drive was missing vital parts, and they would be expensive to pick up.  And dangerous for a Lombax.  He would have to search through the black market in the heart of Breegus, which would be a tricky task on its own.  And that was if he was lucky and the underground had refused to ally with Tachyon.  But Kaden had a plan formulating and he did need the device.

"Well, perhaps you would rather trade something else for it,” the Smuggler suggested, clearly noticing that the Lombax was interested in obtaining the device but unwilling to pay the price.  "Now listen here, my friend, warp drives are nearly impossible to come across.  Even a broken one is still a miracle find.  So perhaps we could make a trade.  You’re a Lombax.  You’ve gotta be travellin’ with some kinda valuable tech."

Kaden thought of the collection of things he had found in the back of the ship he had taken on Fastoon.  Even though it had been a fighter ship it was no surprise that it was filled with multiple pieces of machinery in various points of completion.  It may have not been the owner’s profession but any Lombax worth his stripes was a tinkerer.  The ship was supposed to have been fixed and returned to its owner, so they mustn't have thought to remove their things.  "Perhaps we can come up with some kind of arrangement."  Kaden had played around with the devices while the ship cruised on autopilot, including modifying some of the machines to make them more efficient.

Kaden led the Smuggler to his ship and he jumped into it, checking on his son, who was sleeping peacefully in the passenger's seat, and then made his way to the storage area of the ship, pulling out a Gyro-Cycle.

"It works perfectly fine.  I modified it with a terra thruster, which'll make it faster than any other Gyro-Cycle out there.  Want it?" Kaden asked.  He held on tightly to the Gyro-Cycle as the Smuggler stared at the vehicle.  The Lombax hoped it met this man's standards so he could get that warp drive.  The Smuggler was clearly getting the better end of the deal; he had no reason to refuse other than to barter more from the desperate Lombax.

"Don't trust the Lombax!  He'll cheat ya!" the parrot chirped as the Smuggler smirked at Kaden.  Kaden just smirked back, glad to see that the man was showing signs of being enticed by the offer.

"Hush."  The Smuggler brushed the parrot aside as he stood back up from his analysis of the machine.  "Just like a Lombax, your kind can't leave anything the way you find it, can you?"

"'Suppose not,” Kaden agreed.

The Smuggler's grin widened as he held out a hand for the Lombax to shake.  Kaden grabbed it and nodded to him as the other alien stated, "You and I have a deal."

Kaden pushed the Gyro-Cycle towards the Smuggler and took the warp drive.  "Thanks.  This might just be useful."

"Glad to hear it."  The Smuggler walked off, waving as he kicked on the Gyro-Cycle, driving away on it.

Kaden watched the man go and stared down at the warp drive he had obtained, unable to believe his luck.  warp drives were nearly impossible to come by.  That would mean that if Kaden could hide his son in another galaxy, it could take  _ years _  for Tachyon to find him.  Perhaps even decades!  The boy would be far from Tachyon's reach.  And if there  _ was _  a bounty on Lombaxes in Polaris, it was doubtful that the information would reach another galaxy.

The Lombax wiped sweat from his brow as he hopped into his spaceship.  Rykan V was one of the hottest planets in the galaxy thanks to all of its volcanoes.  Kaden had always hated coming here because of the intense heat and right then, he didn't want to spend another second on the planet.  He hopped into his spaceship and stared down at his son, watching him sleep silently in the passenger's seat of the ship.

"You'll get to grow up safe and sound, you won't even know about Tachyon, not for a long time.  You will get to live your life out to its fullest, while I die trying to make sure Tachyon won't reach you."  Kaden bit his lip at the last statement, barely aware that he had even added it.

Yes, he wanted his son safe, far, far away from Tachyon.  No doubt about it. But why not stay with the boy?  Raise him in a foreign galaxy so that Tachyon wouldn't find him either, wouldn't be able to try to kill him.  Why not live in peace, try to start a new life and take care of his son?  It was a reasonable thought, wasn't it?

But then he thought of everything he had lost.  Fastoon.  There was nothing left for him there, now that Tachyon had ruined it.  He had nowhere to go.  He had seen the rubble and destruction that his house had become.  All of his friends were dead or in another dimension, except for Alister who Kaden still blamed for his responsibility in the whole mess.  His wife was gone.  And he hadn't even been there by her side.  Nor had he even had time to bury her because he had to run to the Court and make sure that everyone was safe.  Then he had taken the Dimensionator and his son and began this rigorous journey to hide them.  He had left Alister to pick up all of the pieces.  He didn't want to start a new life.  Not when the one he'd had was already so perfect.  He wanted his wife, his friends by his side.  A new beginning would mean completely forgetting them.

Kaden wanted nothing more than to watch the one responsible fall and crumble to his death.  He wanted to watch Tachyon tumble from that damn throne of his, that throne that had been  _ their _  design!  He wanted to watch the little Cragmite's head get squashed, wanted him to bleed out as he suffered a horrible death, so he could understand how all the Lombaxes had felt in the terror he had caused.

It would just make Kaden twice as happy if it was at his own hands.

Kaden started up the spaceship, typing in coordinates for Planet Lumos, a planet he and Alister had played on together as children.  It had a shining Raritanium mine in the Krell Canyon, one that had so many fun twists and jumps and loops that they would hoverboot through together.  Kaden remembered clearly the first time they had snuck into the mine together to try out what had seemed like a perfect hoverbooting spot.  He had nearly broken his arm when he had missed a jump and crashed into a boulder more than twice his size.  It had been  _ such _  a fun experience.

But now that Kaden was older, he would find himself going to the Raritanium mine just to watch the Vullards working in the place.  The noise always blocked out his thoughts and the beautiful sight always calmed him down, making it an excellent place to work.  And he'd need to do quick work to get that warp drive running within a couple of days.  Besides, Vullards were likely the safest source of the parts he needed and were most likely to carry them.  He may as well pay them a visit and get information from them along with what he needed for the repairs.  That way he could evade Tachyon as cleverly as possible until he was prepared to travel to another galaxy at warp speed.

He needed to hide his son, to make sure he was protected and that he had someone to take care of him. Then and only then could Kaden take on Tachyon, knowing that there was nothing left for him to care about in this world.


	7. Protect What's Left

"General Azimuth?" the young girl asked. She blinked wide blue eyes at the older Lombax, clearly trying to grab his attention.

"Yes, Angela?"

"Do you know if there could be anyone else? Someone else to help us?" the girl asked innocently.

The male Lombax sighed.  The two had spent the majority of the past couple of weeks walking through the city and burying any bodies they found.  Alister knew it was a cruel thing to make the young girl do, but he needed help and he wanted to be able to watch her to make sure nothing happened to her.  It was strange to think that he could have only met her not so long ago and yet she was the most important thing he had right now.  She was his only living company as he suffered through this hell he had caused.  And he found himself growing more attached to the girl by the minute.  She was highly intelligent, especially for her age.  She wasn't much for building, but she had a fascination with living creatures and had incredible ideas that could compete with things he’d heard bio-engineers propose.  It was sad to see that her skill would be wasted now.  She would have made a great addition to the Centre for Advanced Lombax Research when she was older.

"What do you mean?"

"Could we find another Lombax? And would they be willing to help us with…" Angela grew quiet, unable to find words to describe the actions they were doing, so instead she pointed a finger at the ground and spun it in a circle, representing the crude graves that Alister had been digging for the bodies.

"If we find one, we find one.  Until then, let's keep working on our own," Alister answered.  He found it strange that he hadn't chosen to let the girl know about Kaden yet and the fact that he was still alive with his son.  If Kaden were his normal self, then Alister could imagine the girl enjoying his presence immensely.  Kaden's paternal skills were on a much higher level than Alister's, thanks to having his own child.  He was also better at talking with children, as Alister found himself saying something that the girl would only tip her head in confusion at.  Kaden would find ways to simplify what he was saying so a child could understand it, while Alister thought it was a crime to dare try to cut down his words.

"General Azimuth, what'll happen if we don't find another Lombax?"

"Then it'll be the same as it is now."

"But what will we do?  We can't fix a city just for two people.  It wouldn't work," Angela pointed out.

Alister let out a sigh.  She was right, but that was a reality he had been eschewing for now and he wasn’t ready to face it yet.  "I don't know Angela. We'll think of that when we get there, alright?"

The girl only nodded.  Soon another question entered her mind and she asked, "Why did Tachyon do this?"

"I-" How could Alister explain the story of the Cragmites?  How could he explain to the girl about the Great War, about the Dimensionator, about how Tachyon had been found and raised by the Lombaxes?  How he wanted revenge because they had vanquished his people.  How could he explain these facts to a little girl?

But somehow he managed to find the courage, as he wound himself into it.  He and Angela had grown into a policy where if she asked him something, he answered to the best of his abilities.  Yes, some of her questions had answers that were a little too disturbing for a child her age, but the city's destruction had forced her to grow up.  And she deserved to hear the reason why.

The two had sat themselves on the ground, stopping their trip through the city for a break as Alister dove into his story, explaining what the Cragmites were and the tyranny they had caused.  Angela sat patiently, staring up at the General and taking in his every word.  Curiosity made her want to hear more.

But they were interrupted at the sound of a ship landing in the distance.  Alister found himself overcome by excitement as he jumped to his feet.  Could that be Kaden?  Was he back from hiding the Dimensionator after such a short amount of time?  Angela stood herself up and asked, "Who could that be, General?"

"I'm not sure."  He started in the direction of the landing, sure that it must have been Kaden.  Angela followed him, staring straight ahead.  Alister barely noticed the girl as he picked up his pace.  His friend was back!  And judging by how soon, he must have put aside his insane plans for revenge against Tachyon.

"General Azimuth!" Angela stopped, staring up at Alister with fearful eyes.

"What?" he snapped, angry at her for stopping him from getting to Kaden.  What could be so important?  Kaden was here!  Alister wanted to greet his friend!

"That's Tachyon's ship.  He left in the same one over a week ago," Angela pointed out.  Alister took a close look at the ship and recognized the Cragmite's insignia on it.  She was right, and he had just led them both to him.

"Shoot!  Hide in the nearest building," Alister commanded.

"But they're all torn apart!" Angela protested.

The older Lombax grabbed the child and dashed into one of the ruined homes.  It was still standing, but looked like it could come crumbling down any second.  He tiptoed through the building carefully, not wanting to cause strong enough vibrations to allow the roof to cave in.  He sat himself on the ground and let go of Angela.  The young girl followed suit, holding a tight grip on his arm to reassure herself.

"You mean to tell me that there were Lombaxes in this dimension who decided to leave without letting me kill them?! Find the Dimensionator, I demand to have it!  I will find every last Lombax, even if I have to scour the whole Omniverse!" the high pitched voice of Percival Tachyon commanded.

"Sir, we have reason to believe the Dimensionator is no longer on this planet.  After the attack we detected a Lombax fighter ship leaving the atmosphere.  Upon further evaluation it appears there were two Lombaxes inside the ship.  They may have taken the Dimensionator with them."

"So not only did the lot of them use the Dimensionator, you mean to tell me there were Lombaxes who survived my attack long enough to flee the planet?!  This is an  _ outrage _ !  I want them found!  And search the area here.  See if there are any more idiots who think they can escape my wrath," Tachyon commanded.  Footsteps shook the floor beneath them as Tachyon's giant mechanical throne stomped away, leaving the Drophyd commandos to do as they were told.

"They're looking for us…" Angela murmured fearfully.

"Shh…" Alister felt the girl's grip tighten on his arm and he pulled her closer to him, trying to reassure her that he would protect her.  Would the Drophyds even consider checking the buildings?  All of them looked completely unstable.  If a robotic mech tried to go inside, the buildings would break beneath their giant footfalls.  It would be too dangerous for them to check inside.  Or were they too stupid to care?

"What do we do?" Angela asked in fright.  She clearly thought that the Drophyds were going to find and kill them.  Alister wouldn't allow that to happen.

The older Lombax pulled out a double-ended wrench from where it sat hooked into the back of his armour.  It was his trusty weapon, one that he had owned for as long as he could remember.  As a gift after the Great War, Kaden had taken the wrench and modified it so it could fire energy blasts, making it a long range weapon, rather than just useful in melee combat, and also making it much more lethal.  Alister hadn't gone anywhere without the wrench since, paranoia becoming a major thought in the aftermath of the War.

"You're not going to try and fight them are you?" Angela asked, her voice filled with worry.  She mustn't have thought that he could handle the mechs.  And she probably had good reason to think so.  The Praetorian Guard hadn't been able to handle most of the Drophyd mechs with high powered machinery.  What made Alister think he stood a chance with a wrench?

"Angela, you see where the wall's blown out over there?" Alister pointed to said wall where a small passage way was burnt out, most likely from a rocket or a missile during Tachyon's attack.  The hole was much too small for Alister to fit through, but Angela could squeeze by with ease.  "When I say so, go through that opening and run to the Court of Azimuth.  Do you know where it is?"

The young girl nodded but she also let out a small whimper, clearly showing that she was scared to leave the General's side.

The General tele-equipped a Bomb Glove and showed its product to the girl.  "I'm going to throw this to distract them.  If one of them follows you, then just weave between a few buildings, cut through some too.  Just get to the Court and lock yourself in one of the rooms.  The doors are reinforced with trillium, it’ll be impossible for them to get you once the door’s locked.   I'll come find you afterward when they're gone."

"But what if you don't come to get me?" Angela asked, pointing out that she clearly thought Alister wouldn't be able to defeat the Drophyds.

"I  _ will _  get you.  I promise," Alister tried to assure her.  "Now get going, before they surround the area."

Angela gave him a skeptical look but shook it away as she headed for the exit to wait for his command.  He called, "Now!" and watched Angela scurry through the hole.  He waited until she was a good enough distance away and then tossed the bomb at the opposite wall, where the Drophyds were waiting on the other side.  The wall crumbled before him and the roof collapsed around him, causing a distraction.  He held his wrench up in the air and spun it rapidly to prevent the debris from hitting him.  The Drophyds turned immediately and glared at the Lombax.  He held up his wrench defensively and prepared to attack the Drophyds.  Instead he was interrupted by a squeal and saw that Angela had tripped, and was frozen by the shock of the explosion.

"Angela!  Are you alright?" he called to her.  She nodded to him, her eyes huge with surprise.  She wasn't trying to get up at all and Alister found himself frustrated.  If she was fine, then why wasn't she doing as he told her?  "Get  _ moving _  then!" he yelled at her.  He watched as she jumped to her feet, nearly tripping again as she lost her balance and lurched her way forward.  She caught herself and dashed, leaving Alister alone with the Drophyds.  Hopefully none had noticed her.

"A Lombax!" one of the Drophyds exclaimed.  "The Emperor will be pleased if we bring him its body."

"Yes, let's kill it," Another added, moving in towards Alister.  The Lombax general held up his staff, ready to attack once provoked.  One of the Drophyds fired a laser at the Lombax and he deflected it by spinning his wrench quickly.  His weapon was fast enough to block off the attack.  He then fired another bomb, and in the aftermath of the explosion he dashed up to the Drophyds and smacked one across the containment tank for the Drophyd's body.  The glass broke and a flopping Drophyd was left to try and breathe outside of water.  The General moved quickly and fired an energy blast at the second.  Its robotic body fell, electricity sparking through it as it short circuited, making it useless.  Alister stepped on the glass containing the Drophyd's organic body and broke through the tank to squish the Drophyd, killing it.  A third made its way around Alister and started to head to the Court.  It was going after Angela.

Rage consumed him as he thought of the girl getting hurt.  He wasn't going to allow it.  How dare the Drophyd even think of attacking a little girl?  It was  _ such _  a cruel thing to even consider.  Alister kicked on his hoverboots and took after the Drophyd, charging an energy blast in his wrench, making it as powerful as he could until he reached the Drophyd and jabbed his wrench into its mechanical body, letting the energy release and fry the mechanics from the inside.  He then pulled his wrench out of the Drophyd's mech and watched as it toppled backward.  The Lombax prepared another energy blast and speared the Drophyd's organic body on the charged prongs of his wrench, killing it.

Alister pulled back his wrench and leaned on it as he panted from the effort of the brawl.  The fight had been quick, but it had required lots of energy from Alister.  Since he had been moved up in the Praetorian Guard and gained a position in the Centre for Advanced Lombax Research he hadn't had as much time for fighting and wasn't nearly as fit as he had once been.  Adrenaline had pushed him to attack the Drophyd mechs with strength he didn't know he possessed.  Now that the energy burst had worn off, he didn't think he could even hoverboot to the Court to tell Angela that she was safe without collapsing.

Instead he walked his way to the Court, trying to regain enough strength while still making progress and keeping an eye out for nanotech to heal his aching muscles.  He kept turning his head back every few seconds to make sure that there weren't any other Drophyds following him or arriving after he took out the others.  He saw nothing.

The Lombax general realized he was barely covering any ground when he turned around and still saw the mechanical body of the Drophyd in the distance.  He shook his head, pushing his aching body as he kicked on his hoverboots and dashed towards the Court.  He wanted to hurry to Angela and make sure she had made it safely.  He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something happened to her.  It would be another death on his hands.  And he wasn't going to allow that.

"Angela!" he called as he burst into the Court.  He had told her to lock herself in any of the rooms, unable to think of a specific room to send her to in the urgency of the situation.  Probably not one of his smartest ideas.  "Angela!" he called louder.

"General?" a small voice answered.  He turned to see the girl poke her way out one of the rooms.  She caught a glimpse of him and dashed over to him, glad to see that he had survived fighting the Drophyds.  Alister smiled down at her sympathetically.  The poor girl had clearly been through enough shock.  Her fur was fluffed and frizzled, a typical sign of distress on any furred alien.

He smoothed down some of the fur on her head and assured, "It's alright, the Drophyds are gone."

"No way." Astonishment was clear in the younger Lombax's voice.  Alister found himself swelling with pride as he realized that he had impressed the young girl.  But her awed smile immediately turned into a concerned frown as she added, "Tachyon's going to wonder who managed to take them out."

"Nanophytes?" Alister suggested. The small creatures were usually found in the deserts of Fastoon.  They were scavengers and often took technology that the Lombaxes found obsolete and threw away.  But after all of the Lombaxes left the dimension the creatures had started swarming in the city to try and take remaining pieces of technology.  Alister had fought against a couple hoards of them when they got in his and Angela's way.  They weren't very troublesome creatures at all, for anyone trained in combat, but if they swarmed and attacked altogether then they could be a problem.

Angela giggled at the suggestion.  "I don't think that Tachyon will believe his men were defeated by  _ Nanophytes _ ."

"Well, the Nanophytes will be going after their suits now that they're dead.  It'll make it look like they attacked them for the nano-technology in the suits.  There's no evidence that it had to be a Lombax that killed them."

"Can we still wait it out in here, rather than go back out there?" Angela asked.  She had been scared countless times that day within the span of an hour.  No doubt she wanted to take extraordinary precautions to make sure she was safe.

"Yeah.  We don't want to be there when Tachyon returns to find some of his minions have been killed," Alister agreed.  He sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the center of the Court, where the portal for the Lombaxes to travel to the other dimension had been only weeks ago.  He still couldn't help but wish he could have gone with them.  How he wanted to prove to them that he may have made a mistake but he could still be a valuable leader.  He could correct the wrongs he had done and help them build their new home.  He didn't want to sit here in this dimension with only the company of a little girl, being forced to pick up the pieces of what was left behind.

Alister tore his gaze away and looked out the entrance of the Court, staring at where Kaden's ship had taken off weeks ago.  Alister missed his friend.  He had been so excited when he heard Tachyon's ship land, thinking that it was Kaden.  He missed the other Lombax's company.  He missed Kaden's sense of leadership that could always convince Alister that everything was under control, just because Kaden said so.  He missed the smile on his friend's face, one that always said that no matter what, the two would be safe as long as they had each other.

Perhaps staying in this dimension wouldn't have been so bad.  So long as he had his friend back.


	8. Throw it All Away

Kaden landed his ship on planet Veldin, a sandy, desert planet with a similar climate to Fastoon. This planet was in the Solana galaxy, far away from Tachyon's reach.  Kaden pulled his son into his arms and hopped out of the ship.  The minute he felt the sun on his fur, Kaden was immediately reminded of home.  A home that was now gone.

The planet was clearly populated, as there was infrastructure integrated into a path leading toward what looked like a city in the distance.  Sadly the technology wasn't nearly as advanced looking as the ruins on Fastoon, but it wouldn't matter much to his son.

Kaden found himself surprisingly calm as he stared at the arid desert that loomed before him.  He could smell the dry air and the gentle wind blowing through his fur was soothing.  The Lombax was so reminded of his home on Fastoon that he could close his eyes and pretend he was there.

But, of course, that was why he picked this planet.  It was the closest environment to Fastoon in this galaxy.

Kaden was so absorbed by the sight of the desert wilderness he had landed on that he nearly forgot the reason he was there.  His son started squirming in his arms and reached up for Kaden's face.  The small hand nearly grabbing his chin snapped Kaden back to thoughts of his son.

Was he really going to leave the boy here?  He had thought about it as if it were nothing, just one small step before he would try to take on Tachyon.  But now that his separation from his son was enclosing on him, Kaden suddenly felt distraught.  He had lost so much already thanks to Tachyon.  His home, his people, his wife, his closest friend.  Was he really going to get rid of the last thing he had?  Was he really going to get rid of his son, just for some mad desire to take on Tachyon himself?  Give up the last piece of himself to satisfy some mad craving for revenge?

Was abandoning and orphaning his son really worth that?  Couldn't he just hide with the boy on this planet and live here without the threat of the Cragmite?

Kaden pulled his son against him, embracing him tightly as he thought of the seriousness of what he was about to do.  He couldn't just leave Tachyon in Polaris.  He couldn't just run away like a coward and accept all of the things the Cragmite had done.  He had to try and punish him, try and fight him, try and gain his vengeance.

A tiny hand suddenly smacked his cheek and Kaden was snapped out of his thoughts again.  The little boy just gazed at him with an innocent expression.   Kaden smiled down at his son and held him up to stare the boy in the eye.  Green eyes blinked back at him.  Those eyes were so similar to Kaden's own.  Except innocence reflected back at Kaden, rather than the hurt and suffering in his own eyes.  The boy would forgive him for this.  Perhaps he would never learn of what happened on his home.  He might not even learn that Fastoon  _ was _  his homeworld.  But if he ever did, he would understand Kaden's decision.  Understand that Kaden  _ had _  to protect him and the Dimensionator.  It was the only way he could make up for what he had allowed Tachyon to do to the boy's mother.

Kaden bit his lip as he pulled his son back against him, rubbing his cheek against the soft fur on the top of the child's head.  He found himself shaking as he pressed himself tightly against the boy.  He was really going to do it.  He was going to leave his son and try and face Tachyon alone.

_ I'm going to die. _   Kaden realized.  There was no way he could handle Tachyon on his own.  This plan was  _ insane _ and so was he for wanting so desperately to carry it out.  But his vengeance was the only thing he was living for anymore, and he would fulfill it at any costs.  His mouth opened in a little "o" as he realized the fate he was thrusting upon himself and his son.   _ I'm going to die and leave my son alone in this universe. _

Kaden moved his mouth to his son's ear, whispering, "Promise me that you'll make me proud, my son.  Promise me that you'll be stronger than I am, alright?"

The boy suddenly pulled away from Kaden.  He blinked at his father and tipped his head.  The child looked so lost and Kaden squinted his eyes shut, unable to look at him.  He was going to abandon his son.  He was really going to do it.  He pressed the boy against him again as he made his way to the city, prepared to leave his child in the hands of someone who could take better care of him.  In the hands of someone who wouldn't allow themselves to get so consumed with rage that even the most important things in life didn't matter anymore.

As he walked, Kaden didn't let himself focus on his thoughts.  They were too messed up and conflicted already.  Instead he found himself noting the sand leaving footprints from his hoverboots, the cool breeze causing his ears to fly in the wind, the sun warming his fur, the weight of his child in his arms.  They felt so familiar and yet so wrong to him at the same time.  The sand, the wind, the sun.  They weren't Fastoon and they never would be.  The weight of his son in his arms should have felt like something for him to protect, something for him to love and care for.  Instead in the back of his mind was the littlest thought letting him know that the boy was a burden.  The one thing that was preventing him from taking on Tachyon already.  The one thing that was preventing him from joining his wife.

No.  He would  _ never  _ think such a thing.  He was leaving his son in good hands, to protect him from Tachyon,  _ not _  because he was a burden!  Kaden growled at himself for daring to think of his son like that.  He wanted to be with the child, but he couldn't.  Not while the threat of Tachyon was still in Polaris.  Not while there was a possibility of his son being hunted by the Cragmite.  In this galaxy, barely anyone would be aware of what a Lombax even  _ was _ .  In this galaxy, no one would know Tachyon had a bounty on Lombax heads.  In this galaxy, there wouldn't be a chance for that damn Cragmite to even touch him.

Kaden pressed his son protectively against his chest as the thought of Tachyon being anywhere near the baby crept into Kaden's mind.  It  _ would not _  happen.  Kaden would not allow the boy to be found by that monster.  He would not let him remember the horrors he had been forced to live through, nor let someone remind him once he had forgotten them.  He wouldn't let the boy learn of how his father had failed him.

The child reached small arms up at Kaden, grabbing around his father's neck and pulling into his hold.  As Kaden looked down at his offspring, a sudden feeling of warmth overcame him.  The boy trusted him, loved him.  And he could feel his love through his armour, feel the heat of his son against him.

It felt so strange.  He hadn't felt warmth like that for a long time.  Not since before his wife had died.  He hadn't allowed such feelings to penetrate his mind, hadn't allowed for anything other than the cold thoughts of defeating Polaris's cruel oppressor.  He hadn't opened himself up for the love he needed, the very reason he was protecting his son.

He couldn't allow it.

He carefully ripped his son's arms away from his neck as he approached the city he had seen when he had landed.  He had barely noticed the distance, as his thoughts had spiraled around his son.  How he had thought of the love he could not reciprocate.  Not anymore.

"I want you to take care of yourself, my son.  Take care of yourself like I couldn't."  Thoughts of his wife passed through his mind and he looked down at the boy, pouring his heart out to the child who could barely comprehend what he was saying.  "Because I can't. Not while I'm like this."

There had been times when his thoughts of Tachyon had conquered his mind for days on end.  His revenge was always at the forefront of his mind.  His plotting for taking on the Cragmite, his horrific dreams of the little monster's death, each so different and so much gorier than the last.  His thoughts of his wife, the smile that always brightened her beautiful face and how Tachyon had torn it all away from him, making his thoughts fall right back into their cruel sadism before they could creep out.  Sometimes these thoughts were so strong that even his son's cries couldn't pull him away.

While revenge was on his mind, while Tachyon's crimes burned in him, with the knowledge that he would never get to hold his wife in his arms ever again, while all of these were in the forefront of his mind, the poor baby was shoved aside.  The boy needed someone to watch him, to protect him.  And Kaden should have, but he couldn't.  Not while his severe thoughts cut all concern for the boy away.

He was a horrible father.  And he would be even worse if he didn't get the boy someone who could take care of him.

It wasn't the reason Kaden wanted to admit, but it was the truest one for why he had to leave his son.  To protect the boy from the man who should have been looking out for him.

Kaden knelt down on the ground, ignoring the strange stares he received from citizens who were living their lives normally, as if nothing had happened.  Of course, their homeworld hadn't been torn apart and they hadn't been forced to watch their people run like cowards.  To them, life was perfectly normally.  They didn't realize that the man kneeling on the ground was about to break off the most important part of him, his hopes, his dreams, his compassion.  His  _ son _ .

"I need you to stay here.  This is home now, alright?" Kaden tried to explain to the small child as he placed him on the sandy ground.  "I can't stay with you, but I need you to be just as brave and as strong as if I was still here for you."  Tears pricked Kaden's eyes as he grasped what he was doing.  As he realized what he was giving up and throwing away.  "I love you,” He added as he kissed his son on the top of his head.  "But I can't take care of you."

"Da," the little boy mumbled.  Kaden found his ears shoot straight up, not expecting a response from the boy.  He stared at him carefully, wanting to see what his son would do next.  The little boy raised his arms, pulled on Kaden's hand and exclaimed again, "Da!"

"Don't do this to me,” the man begged.  His son was so innocent, so unaware of what was going on.  He would never understand.  No one would.  But Kaden knew.  Kaden knew how much better off the boy would be without him.  He could see what his son could become, but only if he was here, on Planet Veldin, without his father.  So why should the boy be allowed to make it so hard?  How could his son just blink up at him with those innocent, wide, green eyes and make Kaden want to break down in sheer confusion and anguish?  He didn't want to leave his son, but he  _ had _  to!  For  _ his _  sake!  But the boy only kept staring at him, wanting answers he was far too young for.  "I said, don't do this to me!" Kaden cried, sweeping his son into his arms and holding him tightly.  He rested his head on his son's and sobbed, cried harder than he had in his life.  "I'm doing this for you!  I'm protecting you!  I'm trying to fight Tachyon for what he did to _  you _ !" Kaden protested to the young child, hoping he would hear the hurt in his father's voice and stop boring into him with those naïve, clueless eyes!  The boy was killing him right now, worse than any death he could experience in a confrontation with Tachyon.  And because it was Kaden's fault, it made the pain eat away at him twice as badly.

Kaden pressed his eyes shut and buried himself into his son, smothering his cheek against the boy's head as if that would make the situation any easier.  Kaden pushed thoughts of Tachyon away for the first time in months, thinking of when his son was first born.  Of holding the boy against him, gently, sure that any wrong move would break the long awaited for child.  One little mistake would destroy all he and his wife had hoped and prayed so much for.  He had been so sure that now that his family was complete, now that he was so happy, nothing could ever ruin it, as long as he took care of that final piece of who he was.

But so much had been torn away from him already.  His home, his love, his morals, his mentality, his friendships, his people, his happiness.  What was tossing one more piece in order to sustain the rest that you had?  What was wrong with losing that last important part of who you once were in order to maintain that one selfish desire burning in the back of your mind, the one that would make everything right if you fulfilled, the one that reflected the person your loss had made you into?

Kaden knew the answers to his own questions. It was different if what you cared for was  _ taken away _  from you.  Tossing it away would mean that it was unimportant to you anymore, that it was worthless, that you didn't need it.  That your own selfish desires came first.

But that was wrong!  His son was worth more than  _ anything _  else.  That was why he could  _ not _  allow the child to get tied into his own selfish wants and needs.  That was why he had to leave him, so that he wouldn't corrupt him the way Kaden's dreams of malevolence had corrupted himself.  This was the only way he could keep his son pure from the way that this battle had poisoned his father.

By leaving him in better hands.

Kaden put his son back down on the ground and murmured, "Take care of yourself, and never forget who you  _ truly _  are.  No matter what happens to you, what sadness, what anger, what regret, don't let it consume you.  Don't let it do to you what it did to me."  Slowly, achingly, Kaden managed to get up without even looking at the boy.  He walked away and didn't turn back, knowing that if he caught a glimpse of his son he would run right back to his side.  So, he didn't see it, but his boy watched his every step, so sure that his father would turn around and return to him.

But when he didn't, shock and confusion overwhelmed the infant instead.  He responded the only way he knew how.  Tears.  He started screeching, reaching the highest octave his tiny lungs could permit as he wailed for his father to return.

However, Kaden had already made his choice.  He ran, pushing past confused people, some who simply ignored him, some who saw the baby and began shouting at the Lombax, calling him horrible things for his abandonment.  But Kaden didn't care.  The sounds of his son's cries and the people's insults were deafened by one thought that brought a twisted smile to his face.

Now he could face Tachyon, without a care in the world.

But little did the Lombax know that his son had stopped crying.  People had crowded around the small child, trying to reassure and help him, to replace his father.  But he didn't want it.  He shoved away the concerned strangers.  With strength that the baby had never used before, he flopped onto his hands and knees, staring at his father as the older Lombax ran in the distance.  He put one arm in front of him, then a knee, then the second arm.  Crawling for the first time in desperation to get to his father.  Kaden should have turned, should have seen the boy vehement in an attempt to get back to his father's side.  Instead he just kept running, already drowned in thoughts of his revenge.

He missed his son crawling for him, wanting nothing but him.


	9. Bring it All Back

It was hot. Boiling hot. Alister and Angela were sitting beneath the shade of a building in the city's plaza. They sat against the ground in a futile attempt to try and stay cool.  The general found himself missing air conditioning quite a lot in those moments of sweltering heat. A heat wave had hit the wrecked planet a few days earlier and Alister and Angela had been reduced to sitting and sweating in whatever shade they could find.

"I  _ really _  want to go swimming." Angela mumbled as she fanned herself with her hand.

"Well, sadly the only body of water near here is the pool in the Treatment Centre, and we need that water to drink, so swimming in it isn't an option," Alister answered.

"I realized, and that sucks," Angela complained. She let out an irritated sigh as she added, "I wish the actual swimming pools hadn't been drained during the attack."

Alister looked away from the girl, unwilling to listen to her complain about such an insignificant loss.  "I wish the attack hadn't happened at all," Alister muttered quietly.  He heard a hissing noise in the distance so he pulled himself up off of the ground.  His ears were perked as he tried to listen but it didn’t sound again.  He could have sworn he had heard something. He pulled his gaze to the horizon, staring into the distance. It had sounded like a ship landing on the plateau near the city. It couldn't have been Tachyon again, could it?

"I figured that went without saying," Angela muttered as she got up as well. "What's up?" she added as she noticed Alister had broken away from their conversation.

"I heard something."

"It couldn't have been Tachyon's drop ship, could it?" Angela asked as she looked around, trying to see if the ship or its passengers were visible.

"I'm not sure." Alister grabbed his wrench from where it was situated in the back of his armor. "Stay here."

"No way."

"Angela! You nearly got yourself killed last time we saw a ship land here!"

"I don't think they're Drophyds. Tachyon's ship is too noticeable. And it's loud too. If I didn't hear it, it must have been a smaller ship." The young girl pointed out. "I want to see who it is."

"And if it's an ally of Tachyon's you'll get killed," Alister stated, pointing out what should have been obvious.

"And if it's not then no loss, right?"

"And I thought you were smart." Alister gave the girl a small smile. She reminded him too much of Kaden. Brilliant as could be, but too stubborn and headstrong to listen to that brain.

"But you'll protect me, won't you General Azimuth?" the girl retaliated. "I thought we proved that you can handle Drophyds." Her eyes widened and her little smile sweetened as she tried to suck up to the general.

"Alright, alright, you win. But if I tell you to run back to the city, you listen, no questions asked." Angela nodded happily at the conditions that had been set. Alister took the lead, heading to the direction where he had heard the ship land. He made sure to stay near buildings, so that they could be used for cover in case the ship and its pilot  _ were  _ hostile.

His hoverboots moved silently over the hot sand and Angela followed quietly behind him. She held onto the walls of the buildings for support, since the younger Lombax was quite the klutz.

Perhaps Angela was right. There was a slim chance that it could be Tachyon. So why was he so nervous? Why was he so sure that a fight would ensue? Sneaking around to get to this ship, it was maddening.

Once Alister had been the Elder Councilman of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research! If anyone dared land on Fastoon without permission he would confront them proudly, representing his race. Now he had to creep around, making sure that the visitor was someone he could handle, or otherwise face a chance of death.

They had lost the cover of buildings as they made it towards the outskirts of the plaza and were forced to walk in the open, allowing the sun to beat down on them once more. There was a large gap between the plateau where the two Lombaxes were and where the ship was parked. Alister stared at the ship and found his eyes widening in surprise. It was a Lombax fighter ship. A smile broke out onto his face as one happy thought overcame him. Kaden had returned!

Angela walked to the edge of the plateau, trying to get as close to the ship as possible. She mustn't have known what a Lombax ship looked like, or didn't recognize this one.

"Angela-" Alister started, wanting to call her away from the edge of the plateau. She turned around much too quickly and lost her footing. The girl started to slip back, falling towards the edge of the cliff. "Shoot!" the general dove for her and she shrieked as she fell, only to be caught moments later in one swift movement by Alister.

"Thanks General." Angela breathed as he pulled her back up onto the plateau.

Alister had instinctively pulled the younger Lombax tight against him and he was trying to steady his erratic breathing as he muttered affectionately, “You’ll be the death of me, girl.”

"Who's there?"  Angela’s shriek had alerted the pilot of the spacecraft. He was standing up in his ship, glaring down at the pair of Lombaxes. Alister smiled as he recognized the voice. He looked up and grinned from ear to ear as he caught a glimpse of the long ears and tail of a Lombax.

Alister stood up and crossed his arms over his chest, staring at the newcomer. "I was wondering when you'd get back! You've been gone for months, you know that?"

"Alister!" the Lombax hopped off his ship and kicked on his hoverboots, gaining speed and jumping over the gap between the plateaus. He stopped in front of the sand-coloured Lombax and exclaimed, "Still alive I see." He focused his green eyes on his friend, delight clearly visible in them. Alister was glad to see that Kaden's attitude had changed for the better since they had last parted ways.

"Yup. You expect Tachyon to be able to take down a Four Bolt Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard?" the taller Lombax looked down and noticed that Kaden's arms were much emptier than when they had last parted. The Dimensionator and his son were both missing. Kaden must have hidden the Dimensionator, but what about the boy? "So where's your son?" Alister asked, peering at the ship. From what he could see of the cockpit it was empty.

Kaden's eyes darkened and he didn't answer. He broke eye contact with Alister and crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at them.

"Wait, did you hide him like you planned, or did he…?" Alister asked gently. Kaden's shoulders sloped submissively and he lowered his chin into his chest, showing he didn't want to discuss the situation. Alister jumped to the first conclusion that came to mind and demanded, "You didn't abandon him, did you?!"

Kaden wouldn't answer. The only sign he gave of even hearing the question was a flick of his tail, a signal that his friend should drop the subject. Alister found himself getting frustrated by the other Lombax's silence.

"What did you do with him?"

"I did what I had to!" Kaden snapped, his canine fangs bared as he growled at his friend. "He doesn't need to worry anymore, and you shouldn't either."

Alister backed away from his friend. Was the boy  _ dead _ ? The thought crossed Alister's mind.  He thought of Kaden's guilty expression as he turned away from Alister, of the way he had snapped when Alister pressed.

" _ I did what I had to _ . _ " _  Kaden's words were ringing in Alister's mind, the harshness that had encompassed them multiplied by how they echoed in his head. Had Kaden  _ killed _  the boy? To spare him from Tachyon's reign? No, Kaden wouldn't, would he? He would never allow himself to do that to the child, no matter how much safer he bargained he would be.

"Kaden, just tell me where he is." Alister begged.  He had to know.  He needed the reassurance that Kaden had at least done the boy the courtesy of arranging his safety. 

"He's nowhere that you can find him," the shorter Lombax answered sharply as he walked past Alister towards the plaza.  With that tone Alister knew that the discussion was over, prying any further would provide him with nothing.

Angela blinked up at the two older Lombaxes, her gaze running from Alister to Kaden. She must have been pondering how to respond to the tension that had made its way between the two male Lombaxes. She bit her lip in silence until she finally asked, "Who's he?"

Alister looked at Kaden and wondered the very same question. The yellow-furred Lombax had changed when he found out his wife had died, but he had still been the same Kaden that he could always recognize. But now, after this journey he had taken to hide the Dimensionator with his son, he had changed into someone much darker. He didn't know the Lombax walking before him anymore, and yet he was still  _ Kaden _ .

But Angela wasn't going to understand that, so instead he answered "He's a good friend of mine, Kaden. He was on the Council for Advanced Lombax research with me, but we grew up together too." He nodded towards the city and he and Angela followed Kaden into the direction of the plaza.

Angela didn’t seem reassured by the explanation.  She must have noticed the tension between them.  "He doesn't seem very friendly," the girl pointed out.

"He's under a lot of stress," Alister responded quickly, coming up with the fastest excuse he could think of. Even in the distance the two could see Kaden's tail swishing madly. Stress couldn't possibly be used to describe the rampant emotions running through his mind. So much for Kaden having changed for the better since he had left. He was definitely worse off now, with the thoughts of what Tachyon had done to them still pushing him to a state of madness. Losing his son wasn't going to help him escape that place.

"He seems angry," Angela stated, "at everything."

Alister let out a sigh as he explained, "That's because everything he ever cared about was taken away from him."

"Well, maybe we should show him that there's no need to be so angry. He can care about us instead!" Angela then dashed ahead, not even giving the general a moment to think. Would there be consequences for the girl for trying to talk to Kaden when he was in such a raging mood? He wouldn't hurt her, or at least the Kaden that Alister remembered wouldn't have. But now that he was so filled with anger and aggression, would he try to hurt Angela for daring to get near him? He seemed like such a darkened person now, would hurting a child not be beneath him any longer? Would harming one girl matter after what he had done to his son that made him feel so guilty?

Alister never got to find out. Angela completely tripped and fell face first into the hot sand. "Angela!" he called out as he rushed over to her, checking to see if she was alright. Kaden turned around, surprised by the unfamiliar name and saw the general on the ground helping the girl. He tipped his head in confusion, having not noticed the girl earlier. But his paternal instincts kicked in and he dashed to her side, concerned.

"Aw, I think I got sand in my eyes," Angela complained as she spat out a mouthful of dirt. She blinked up at Alister with reddened eyes and tried to rub the sand away. Instead she just blinked out tears as her sand covered fur stung her eyes.

"Here," Kaden dropped down to his knees next to Alister and took off his gloves, brushing the sand away from the girl's face. He didn't even bother asking who she was, he just immediately worked to make her feel better. Alister could only watch, unable to figure out how his friend's anger had completely dissipated to be immediately replaced with concern. How had his emotions managed to change so quickly? Before Alister was worried about the other Lombax ripping the girl's head off. Now he could have mistaken the shorter Lombax for Angela's father by how caringly he helped her to her feet. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Thank you," Angela murmured politely. She also seemed caught off guard by Kaden's sudden caring demeanor.  She carefully pulled her hand out of his as she eyed him, suspicion clear in her gaze.

The three walked side by side into the city and Kaden looked at it all, his ears flattening against his head. "I don't remember the ruined plaza being so depressing." He commented as he stared at the destroyed buildings.

"Well, Tachyon's paid a few visits here since you've left. And he's sent his soldiers on a Lombax hunt to find and kill any survivors. They also know that a ship left with two Lombaxes in it, but they didn't know where it was heading. Instead they've been trashing this place in case you came back," Alister explained.

"Then how come they haven't found you yet?"

"Because General Azimuth just  _ fights _  the Drophyds off!" Angela exclaimed.

"And since when has General Azimuth been strong enough to take on Drophyds all by himself?" Kaden smirked at his friend, a mix of awe and confusion clear on his face.

"They were nothing like the heavily armed soldiers the Guard took on." Alister explained modestly. "They were just scouting troops." He hadn't wanted Kaden to find out about the Drophyds he had fought off. Yes, the fact that he could handle armoured robotic mechs on his own was something that Alister was proud of, but it only seemed like something that would annoy the other Lombax. Kaden was dealing with a lot of anger and stress right now, and bragging about killing Tachyon's Drophyds wouldn't have impressed the other Lombax.  It would only irritate him.

"Hm. That's good then."  Kaden smiled gently at Alister and then continued walking past the plaza. "Is my house still in the same shape it was in before?" Kaden asked as he pointed to the direction of his home in the distance.

"I'm not sure. We haven't been over that way in a while," Alister answered honestly. While he tried to pass the statement off casually, he had purposefully prevented Angela and himself from going towards Kaden's home before, mainly because it reminded him of everything that his stupidity had done to his friend. It also reminded Alister of him while he was gone, something he thought of enough with the spare time he had to reminisce on his mistakes. He had only gone once with Angela, to bury Kaden's wife and the other citizens in the neighbourhood.

"Avoiding some good memories?" Kaden guessed. Alister could only shake his head, ashamed that his friend had managed to figure out what he had been thinking in an instant. He had been treating Kaden like a completely different person since his wife's death, especially now that he had witnessed this darker side of him at the mention of his son. But, despite how different Alister thought things had gotten between them, Kaden could just look at him and figure him out as though nothing had changed between the two at all. Were all the differences that Alister noticed only his imagination? Or was Kaden acting like two completely different people?

"Something like that." Alister muttered. He still couldn't help but blame himself for all the destruction that Tachyon had caused. Angela would deny it every time she heard him mumbling to himself about how he was guilty, but she didn't understand the real situation. And yet that had been reassuring enough for the older Lombax. With only one other person to constantly tell him that the devastation  _ wasn't _  his fault, he started to believe it. But now Kaden was back, and so were the memories of Kaden telling him not to trust Tachyon, of Kaden shouting at him during the attack, blaming him. Yes, Kaden was back and Alister was  _ so _  glad. But along with his friend came the tragic history and the truth that proved that Alister caused it all.


	10. The Cold, Hard Truth

It was amazing to be back on Fastoon. Kaden nearly found himself skipping under the blazing hot sun, if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation he was about to face. He was here to look through his home, find anything of value, and see if it could help him fight Tachyon.

Now all he had were his hoverboots and his wrench. They wouldn't help much in a fight against Tachyon's mech and his Drophyd minions. Although it seemed Alister could take on Drophyds on his own. So why shouldn't he have been able to?

"Mr. Kaden." The blond Lombax was surprised by the polite tone in the young girl, Angela's, voice as she tried to grab his attention. It was so cute how she called Alister General Azimuth and how she placed the unnecessary title before Kaden's own name.

"No need for the "mister"." Kaden explained to the young girl. She was a sweet kid, and a lucky find on Alister's part. Without the child, he would have been alone for the months that Kaden had spent off of Fastoon. She was good company, and very cheerful, or as cheerful as one could be considering the horrors she had experienced. If she hadn't been here with Alister, then the other Lombax might have torn himself apart with nothing but his failure for company. Kaden smiled at the girl. He owed her for keeping his friend sane.

"Why weren't you here? Did you run away during the battle?" the girl asked innocently and curiously.

Alister paled at the question and Kaden just laughed. Sure, his own son hadn't been able to speak, but Kaden had taken to babysitting and watching children in preparation for his own, so he knew that sometimes children just voiced the first thing that came to mind without thinking the thought through. Kaden hadn't been insulted by the blunt statement. She wouldn't think he was a coward once she got to know him.

"No, I was here during the attack. Afterward I went off to hide the Dimensionator though, once everyone else had gone to the other dimension. To make sure that Tachyon can't have it."

"That's very noble of you," Angela noted. "You could have gone to the other dimension, and instead you chose to protect all the other Lombaxes."

_ Right, noble _ . Kaden thought as he looked away from the girl. He grew quiet as his thoughts immediately began correcting Angela's comment. His intentions had been  _ anything  _ but noble. He had wanted to spite the Cragmite by making sure he wouldn't be able to obtain the Dimensionator. He hadn't gone to the other dimension so that he could take on Tachyon himself. He had been selfish and thought of  _ no _  one else when he had made the decision to protect the Dimensionator.

"Kaden?" Alister had noticed his friend becoming withdrawn and the yellow-furred Lombax could hear the concern as he called his name.

"Hm?"

"Why'd you come back?"

"I never really wanted to leave. I came back to see if there really was no hope for Fastoon anymore. If we really have to give it up," Kaden lied. He couldn't confess his true reasons for his return to his friend. Alister had already guessed it once, when Kaden had been prepared to leave with his son and the Dimensionator. If Alister was sure that Kaden was about to enter a losing battle, he would stop him for sure. He had already told Kaden he wouldn't allow him to die.

"Well, we have three Lombaxes and one wrecked and ruined planet. I'm sorry Kaden, I think that there really is no chance." Alister answered honestly as they approached the ruins of Kaden's house.  “Problem is there’s nowhere else we could possibly go.  Tachyon’s got the whole galaxy on a hunt for Lombaxes,” Alister continued to speak, even as Kaden’s focus drew elsewhere.

Kaden stared at the destroyed building. His home. The last symbol of his life when he was happy. He had seen it destroyed before, but then he had been in such a feverish frenzy to save his family that he hadn't noticed the depressing ruin of what the place they were trapped in had been decimated to. Now with his wife and son gone, he saw the building for what it had become. Destroyed, useless rubble. He stood in front of the frame of his house, miraculously still standing despite the battle damage and the months against the elements that could have overtaken it. He touched the wall and felt the paint and bits of gravel chip and crumble.

"No."  It was gone. Everything inside. His belongings, his possessions, his research, the remaining pieces of those he loved. They were all trapped inside the rubble that had covered the remainder of the house. He fell to his knees and banged his head against the wall, feeling the bits of plaster break away and rain down his head. He realized what he had lost. He knew before, but he had run away from it. He had run away from his missing people, the deaths, and the devastation. It made it easier to believe that they weren't real. Now that he was back, staring at the empty city, at the ruins and destruction that had been made of it, it hit him just how much he had lost.

And what he had gotten rid of to make him feel so much emptier.

He cried out the name of his son. He banged his head against the wall harder and instead of crying out in pain he called out his boy's name again. He wanted him back, he wished he had never lost him. How had he been so foolish? How could he have believed that getting rid of the boy would have been for a good cause? His son had kept him sane, had made him realize that everything was not lost. Until he threw away what he had left.

He pressed his hands against his face and cried his son's name over and over. He found his wife's name creep in too and he kept on wailing in his sorrow. He called out for them, desperate for his losses, needy for them. But when they couldn't come, he just stared at his home through the fingers that covered his face, the sign of how everything he loved and held dear could crumble apart.

"Kaden!" Alister ran to his friend's side and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Kaden, calm down."

"It's all gone. They're all gone.  _ Everything _ 's gone," Kaden mumbled in realization. His hands fell away from his face and hung loosely at his side, useless. He turned unfocused green eyes to meet Alister's brown and tried to take in the calmness from his friend's gaze. Alister had been suffering through this for months now, alone for part of it, knowing that it was all his fault. And yet now he seemed to have tolerated it. Perhaps he had even accepted it judging by the tranquil look in his eyes. He wanted to find out the secret, how Alister could be in such a serene place. Kaden wanted to get there, so that his emotions could be put behind him.

"I know. But there's nothing you can do to change that," Alister stated, his voice quiet as he tried to calm his friend.  "All you can do now is move on."

"But I don't want to," Kaden murmured in realization. That was why he was so devoted to his revenge.  That was why he wanted Tachyon dead. Because it was something else to think of, something to take out his confusion and rage on. He didn't have to move on, so long as he was sure there was another option. As long as he was determined to believe that killing Tachyon would make everything right, he didn't think of the idea of simply moving on. "I can't just accept what he did to us," Kaden growled as hatred blazed through his mind once again, numbing his sorrow. "I can't just accept that Tachyon completely destroyed everything that we once had! We raised him and accepted him into our society! And then he turned on us and almost wiped out our race! Everything is gone! How can you just  _ move on _ ?"

"I don't know, Kaden," Alister answered honestly. "I already beat myself up for what I did. I  _ still _  want to kill myself for letting that Cragmite anywhere near the Center. But after all of that, I can't let Tachyon's success and Fastoon's destruction bring me down any further, or I'd be dead already and that would be something else to make that monster happy. Instead, I think of what I have left and it keeps me going for now." Alister turned and looked at Angela, the girl was just watching the scene before her without hearing the words traded between the two older Lombaxes or understanding their meaning.

"But, I have nothing left," Kaden murmured with realization. "I had practically nothing, and then I got rid of the one thing I  _ did _  have." Tears ran down his eyes as he muttered his son's name. He wanted the boy back, wanted to have him by his side. He wanted to return to Veldin and hold the boy in his arms again. He wanted to take care of him and let him know that he loved him and wanted him.

Alister looked fairly astonished as he stared at Kaden.  _ He looks like he thinks I killed the boy _ . Kaden realized when he noticed that Alister's mouth stayed open in a small "o" as he blinked at the yellow-furred Lombax, taking in his words. The sand-coloured Lombax shook his head after a long awkward pause and assured, "Kaden, you still have me. And as long as you want me by your side, I'll stay here. You've always been my closest friend, and if you want, I won't leave you."

Kaden looked away from Alister and caught a glimpse of Angela. The girl looked so confused and innocent as she watched the two adult Lombaxes talk. Her age suddenly hit Kaden. How old was she? She looked like she was four or five years old. Her naïve stare made Kaden fill instantly with compassion. His son was young enough that he would never remember the horrors he witnessed on Fastoon. But this girl, she would carry them for her entire life. Kaden suddenly realized how cruel it was to let her stay on this planet of ruin and in Tachyon's galaxy of hatred against the Lombaxes.  If she waited here it would only be a matter of time before Tachyon’s forces came and stole her life away.  Enough Lombaxes had already paid that price, she didn’t deserve to join them.

"Mr. Kaden?" Angela asked, her head tipped slightly as the yellow-furred Lombax stared through her. She could tell that even though he was looking at her eyes, he wasn't meeting them as he spaced out and his gaze broke away in deep thought. Angela turned away, trying to break the fake eye contact. It was disturbing, looking into Kaden's blank gaze.

"Alister."  Kaden blinked his eyes back into focus as he turned to face his friend. He got back up from his knees and stated, "The girl can't stay here."

Angela's head snapped up so that she could look at Kaden. Her expression didn't look puzzled, she mainly looked irritated that Kaden had suddenly chosen to make this decision for her. "What?" her voice was as sharp as a five year old's could be as she glared up at Kaden.

Alister put a hand on Angela's shoulder, showing that he was on her side. "Agreed. What?" The tallest Lombax tipped his head and stared at Kaden in confusion.

Didn't they understand what he meant? This planet was nothing but rubble of what it once was. Angela wasn't going to get the second chance she deserved if she was stuck here on Fastoon. She needed to be safe somewhere else, far out of this galaxy. Just like his son. "Alister, there's nothing left for anyone here. Why punish yourselves by staying here? Give her a second chance, away from Tachyon's reach."

"Like where? There's a bounty for Lombaxes issued by Tachyon. Anyone allied with him would hand us over to him in an instant. Or anyone in need of a quick bolt." Alister crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Kaden, challenging his friend to prove him wrong.  “At least I know the landscape here.  For now, this is the safest place in the galaxy.”

"How about another galaxy? I have a warp drive installed in the ship I took. You can take her to any other galaxy than Polaris, far away from Tachyon." Kaden tried to advertise his idea, to entertain it in Alister's mind so that his friend was determined to leave and take the girl somewhere she could be protected from the Cragmite's rule.

"I don't know Kaden, isn't that a little drastic? I mean she's had her life torn away from her, just as much as you or I. I can't expect her to pick up and leave the only place she knows as her home."

"You can't let her stay here to rot in hiding on a destroyed planet in some dull hope that everything will magically be rebuilt," Kaden hissed back. It was a harsh realization, but it was true. There was no hope for Fastoon. The planet was gone, its inhabitants were dead or in another dimension. There was no one there to fix their mistakes other than themselves. And three Lombaxes couldn't build a society together.

Alister bit at the inside of his cheek as he stared at Kaden, preventing him from responding. He turned to look at Angela and saw that the girl looked completely distraught. Was it because she was listening to Kaden pointing out a truth that she and Alister had been denying? Or was it because the two older Lombaxes were debating her fate without her input? "Well?" the sand-coloured Lombax asked as he gazed at Angela.

"What?"

"I'm not going to up and leave without your opinion," Alister stated. "If you want to stay here, I'll stay with you."  Kaden was surprised that Alister would leave such an important decision to a young child. Did he really have enough faith in her to make the right choice, rather than the selfish one?

Angela blinked up at Alister, her expression showing that she was clearly indecisive. "I don't want to leave, but if there's nothing here for me, then why should I stay?" Angela murmured. She nodded to reassure herself as she stated, "I think I want to go. I want to forget Tachyon and everything he's done to me."  She grew very solemn.  The girl was so quiet and her expression was the most anguished that Kaden could have ever imagined on such a young child. He knew it must have been a hard decision, and he was sure that if his son was old enough he, too, would have debated being forced to leave his home. Kaden was glad that instead Angela chose to agree with him. He didn't want her here. He wanted to make sure that she and Alister were both safe and out of the way, so that they would get the new life they needed and so he could take on Tachyon without them there to interfere.

“Then, I suppose we’re leaving Polaris,” Alister looked completely unsure of himself as he spoke.  He may have said he would leave the decision to Angela, but he certainly didn’t seem to like the choice she had made.  “We should head back to your ship then.”

“I can’t go with you,” Kaden insisted.

Alister looked incredulously at Kaden, “Then what the hell was all of that talk about leaving this ruin of a city?  What could possibly be left here for you?  What could make it so easy for you to push us off planet when you aren’t willing to heed your own advice?” Alister demanded angrily.

Kaden knew that Alister would be upset with him once he revealed his intention to stay.  But he couldn’t leave.  Not while Tachyon was still alive.  He knew that if he abandoned Polaris then he would be filled with gnawing thoughts of vengeance until the day he died.  He had sacrificed too much to not carry out his plan.

He wasn’t going to let Alister know that though.

“I can’t leave her,” Kaden lied, faking a trembling lip.  “I already lost my son, I can’t leave her again.”

Alister immediately relented, afraid of offending his friend any more.  "Alright," Alister shook his head. "Looks like we're going our separate ways again." He muttered as he walked over to Angela. There was a quick, sad look thrown at Kaden, showing that Alister was despondent at the thought of leaving his friend again. Kaden knew that Alister wanted to be here on Fastoon, where he knew how everything worked and he knew what he needed to do to keep alive. But he couldn't stay here alone. He would marinate in his own guilt and his own blame in helping Tachyon until the end of his life. "I'm sorry I couldn't change things."

"Only way you'd be able to do that would be with a time machine. Besides, you thought we wouldn't see each other again when I left with the Dimensionator, yet here we are." Kaden smirked. "So I'm sure we'll meet up soon enough."  Kaden didn’t confess that he thought that time would come once he’d personally seen to it that the galaxy was safe from Tachyon’s reign.

"Time machine." Alister scoffed, completely ignoring Kaden's second comment. "I wish. I could change this whole mess and none of it would have happened."

"No such thing, I'm afraid Alister." Kaden pointed out.

"Not even your famous Great Clock? Hadn't you said it was created to fix time?" the general taunted.  Kaden blinked in surprise at the General’s comment.  He couldn’t believe Alister had remembered his eighteen month stint spent studying those old ruins on Quantos or his supposed findings.  Kaden had spent a mess of time with them, translating them until he had found an old Fongoid lore about mystical creatures that had granted them time powers and some machine that Kaden had dubbed the Great Clock. It, along with some of Kaden's other "historical finds" had become taunts and teases that only a few select people, Alister included, were allowed to use against Kaden.

"Nope, sadly I haven't looked so far into the Clock yet to know  _ what _  it does." Kaden stared at his destroyed house and sighed, "And all my research is in  _ there _ ." Kaden had loved researching random things that he had discovered on trips through the cosmos. He was the kind of person who could lock himself in a room for months at a time just studying some artifact or translating some ancient text. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind since the destruction of Fastoon.  _ If I manage to beat that monster I swear I'll actually finish one of these projects I've started _ . He let out a sigh. Why did Alister have to remind him of that stupid Clock? It was proof of yet another thing that had been taken away from him, all of his life's achievements, complete or not.

Alister gave Kaden a face as he stared at his friend. He clearly could see that something was wrong. The yellow-furred Lombax gave his friend a small smile, trying to wave away his concerns. The sand-coloured Lombax could only shake his head as he muttered, "Good bye, Kaden. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." Kaden's ears shot into the air for a moment, surprised and almost insulted by the comment. He knew. Alister knew that Kaden was lying about his reasons for staying behind.  He knew he intended to jump at the chance to fight Tachyon, and this was his way of telling him not to. Wasn't Kaden old enough to make his own decisions?

"Remember that Tachyon's forces are here," Alister added, noticing his friend's surprise. "So if you do anything too conspicuous he'll likely find out that you're here. I don't want you getting into any trouble while we're gone."

Kaden's ears fell back again and he stared at his friend. How had Kaden been so quick to assume that his friend knew he was going to go after Tachyon? People used to constantly tell him to watch himself, since he had been reckless and quick to jump into a fray. It was stupid of him to show his surprise to a comment that he used to get left and right.

"Oh, and if you  _ do _  go after him-" Kaden brought a hand behind his head, rubbing it sheepishly, slightly embarrassed that his instinctive reaction had given him away. Here it was, Alister was about to lecture him for his decision and tell him he was idiotic for daring to fight the Cragmite.

"Make sure that you wait until I come back, alright? I want a piece of him too. I also want to make sure you survive the encounter.  Two wrenches are better than one in a brawl, right?"

"I-uh-I will." Kaden stumbled on his lie. This fight with Tachyon was his. He hadn't done anything to support the Cragmite, only suffered as he tore up Fastoon. He deserved to take him on. On his  _ own. _  This wasn’t  _ Alister’s _ fight.  He was just as much an accomplice to Tachyon as he was a victim, while Kaden had been  _ nothing _ but a victim.  He didn’t deserve to tear him apart.  He didn’t have the same greedy need for the Cragmite’s death as Kaden did, so why did he get to share in the so-called Emperor’s suffering?

"Seriously, Kaden, please stay safe. If something happened to you, I wouldn't know what I'd do. You're all I have left," Alister muttered.

"Uh," Kaden couldn't reciprocate the feelings. All this time, after knowing that Alister had given Tachyon the technology he needed to build his mechs, he hadn't given him much thought. He hadn't thought of Alister at all really. He certainly hadn't thought about what he would do if something had happened to the other Lombax.  When he had returned to Fastoon their reunion hadn’t even been on his mind.

But now that there was nothing left, nothing besides Alister and Kaden's own thirst for revenge, he suddenly realized how much he needed his friend. He needed the sand-coloured Lombax to believe in him and be on his side. That way when Tachyon killed him, he wouldn't be drowned in sorrow and guilt, knowing that he had pushed his closest and dearest friend aside.  Alister already blamed himself for so much of the death and destruction that had taken place on Fastoon.  Whether it was rightfully so or not was besides the point.  Kaden’s actions were solely of his own initiative and he was going to take them knowing full well that his death was a potential outcome.  He couldn’t die with Alister thinking they were anything less than best friends.  He couldn’t die and let his friend blame himself.  He already had so much blame on his shoulders.

"I'm going to miss you, Alister." Kaden pulled his friend into a hug, shocking the taller Lombax. Kaden had never been one for mushy displays of affection. This emotionally unstable side of him seemed to have been released recently, during Tachyon's attack, as now he realized how much of a scene he was making out of him and Alister parting ways. And Alister was supposed to be expecting him back afterward, so making such an emotional show out of it would only hint to Kaden's plan. But he didn't care. He and Alister had thought they were going to part permanently too many times lately and had given each other half-baked good byes. If Kaden would truly never see his friend, he wanted to let Alister know how important he was to him.

Alister returned the hug and Kaden sighed. This was it. He would have no more voice of reason once Alister left with Angela. It would be only Kaden, as he went to take on Emperor Percival Tachyon, to avenge everything and everyone he had lost.

"Good bye, Alister," Kaden muttered as he watched his friend take Angela's hand and the pair walked off towards Kaden's ship. Kaden couldn't help but crack a smile. Alister had stated many times when he had come to visit Kaden's family that he didn't think he would make much of an uncle for Kaden's boy, nor would he make too good of a father, if he ever managed to find a girl and start a family of his own. Something about how he sucked with kids, or how he was never patient enough. And yet here he was, replacing Angela's parents and slipping as easily into the role as her hand slipping into his. Perhaps it was the couple of months that Kaden missed, watching their relationship begin, but for some reason, he felt like there hadn't been much of an issue at the start either.

Kaden sighed, realizing how lonely he had become. Alister had managed to find someone to replace him while he was gone. Kaden had gotten rid of all of his few companions so that he could fight Tachyon alone.

He turned to his destroyed home, remembering why he had insisted on returning here in the first place. He had to see if there was anything salvageable. Whether it was to help him take on Tachyon, or just to find something important from his home, he wanted it.

So he began digging through the rubble. As he dug, memories of searching for his wife and son during Tachyon's attack crept back. And he felt himself confronted by that rage that he had been introduced to when he found his wife's body. That rage he had tried and failed to put aside for his son.

It was back, that thirst for revenge as Kaden thought of what Tachyon had done to him.  He began digging faster, searching restlessly for something he could use. Whatever else he found, he quickly tossed aside. He found old papers, trinkets, his belongings. But rather than admire the things that he pulled up he quickly threw them into a heap, finding them unimportant for now.

Kaden made a pile of his son's toys, his life's research, pieces of his wife's jewelry, family photos, a pocket watch with a photo of himself and Alister inside. He deemed these unimportant as he thought about the task at hand. He could gather them for analysis later. After he found what he needed.

The fact that time was racing toward him until his fight with Tachyon made him anxious. Until he finally got to satisfy the need for revenge that was burning deep inside, he knew he would never be able to return to who he once was. He wouldn't be able to be with his son again. He would never have a chance to live happily.

Out of the rubble Kaden pulled out a sleek looking black and blue glove. The Cryo-Mine glove. He had invented it and built a prototype, planning on presenting it to the Council for Advanced Lombax Research so that the weapon could be mass produced for the Praetorian Guard. He slipped the glove on over his hand and stretched his fingers as he tugged the weapon on securely. He clenched and relaxed his fingers before tightening them to form a fist.

He would take on Tachyon and he would kill him. Or he would die trying.


	11. Snapped

Alister had a tight grip on the steering wheel in Kaden's ship. He was seriously regretting leaving the other Lombax alone on Fastoon. His friend had seemed so completely unstable, and now that he thought about how Kaden had insisted that Alister take Angela to a different galaxy, he realized he was manipulating the girl to get rid of them. Kaden was going to do something, something he knew Alister wouldn't allow.

He wanted to turn the ship around, march up to Kaden and drag him into the ship, all before the yellow-furred Lombax had a clue of what was going on. Why hadn't he brought Kaden with him? Why had he allowed Kaden to stay near his wrecked home, where just staring at the building could knock him down and bring him to tears over the battle they had lost? Alister had left his friend while he lost more and more pieces of his morality and mentality by simply staring at the place where his wife died and where Alister was sure he had decided that he wanted Tachyon dead.

It may have also been the place where he decided that his son came second to his own selfish needs.

What  _ had _  happened to the boy? He looked in the ship's flight logs, but all information for recently visited planets had been erased. Kaden must have done it to ensure that Tachyon would never find his son or the Dimensionator. But that also meant that Alister wouldn't find them either.

Was the boy hidden somewhere, waiting for his father to return for him? Had he left the boy in better hands? Had he just abandoned him? Or was he gone? Kaden had seemed so depressed at the mention of his son that Alister had immediately thought of the option that the boy had been killed. It would have knocked Kaden's sanity right out the window, and explained the almost bipolar behavior he had obtained. But from the way he spoke, he explained that  _ he _  had done whatever it was to the boy. And Kaden would have  _ never _  killed his son. He loved him too much, his son was the last piece of what made Kaden who he was. Even if he thought that Tachyon would have killed him otherwise, there was no way that Kaden would have allowed himself to think even a single thought of killing his son out of mercy.

So had Kaden used the warp drive to take his son to another galaxy? Was that why he was so desperate to get Angela to another galaxy, so that he knew that by Angela's decision to go somewhere safe, that his son, too, would have wanted it? Or did he just feel sorry looking at Angela and decided to send her off, like he had with the Dimensionator?

Alister did not know. These were things that he would not discover the answers to by asking himself. He would get the true answers once he asked Kaden later.

"General Azimuth?" Angela asked as she stared out the windshield of the cockpit. She was amazed by the stars and the sights of space. This was her first venture off planet. "What planet's that?" she asked curiously. Clearly the horrors that she had experienced on Fastoon had been vaporized by her excitement to be out in space. Thank goodness she was a child with an attention span to match. She may have been able to forget the terrors she had witnessed. Alister knew he would never forget.

He felt  _ awful _  for what he had done to his people. He knew it would haunt him as long as Tachyon still reigned over Polaris. He'd had months to wallow in his guilt and to pick apart everything he was responsible for. He saw the damage his stupidity had caused. He saw the bodies of the people who had died because he trusted Tachyon. He saw the little girl, an example of how ruined the lives of the Lombaxes would become. Kaden was another, a far worse example of his idiocy ruining his people's lives. Kaden, his best friend, had everything taken from him, and now he was desperate to get it back, no matter how impossible it would be. Alister could see his friend, running in a never ending wild goose chase until something set him straight, or until he got himself killed.

It was so sad, knowing that he was responsible and yet he could do nothing for his friend.

_ I'm so sorry Kaden. _  Alister thought. He looked over at Angela, who was still leaning against the window with a huge smile plastered on her face. Alister could only shake his head. They were only two examples of lives he had destroyed. Kaden's wife and all the bodies that he and Angela had buried showed how lives had been lost because of him, how people no longer  _ existed _ . How many people had died? How many more would in the future, thanks to him giving Tachyon the weapons to conquer Polaris?

_ I've destroyed this entire galaxy _ . Alister realized in horror.  _ If Tachyon manages to take over all of Polaris… _

"I've given that monster the entire galaxy," the general muttered in horrified realization. He placed his forehead against the steering wheel, trying to gather his emotions together before he lost himself completely in his guilt. He had seen what insanity could do to a man. Kaden had broken into tears merely at the sight of his  _ house _ , screaming out his son and wife's names, tearing himself open in his pain. He didn't want that to happen to him. He  _ would not _  cry. He would be stronger than that, to make sure he could protect the girl who was forced to suffer thanks to him.

"No you haven't." Angela insisted as she turned away from the window to face the general. "No one's going to let Tachyon take over the entire galaxy! Somebody will stop him. And it wasn't your fault. He  _ betrayed _  you. It was all him."

Ah, to be young and innocent and have  _ no _  clue how the universe worked. It had been a long time since Alister had felt like that! "Angela, the Lombaxes had some of the strongest defense in the galaxy," Alister explained calmly. "Tachyon managed to break through  _ them _ . He could capture the capital just as easily."

"No he can't!" Angela insisted. "The bad guys never win!"

"You watch too many Holofilms." Alister snapped at the girl. "You have no idea how the universe really works!"

"Neither do you."  Angela pouted, upset from being yelled at. "Otherwise you'd have known not to trust a Cragmite!"

Alister flinched as the girl hit a very sensitive nerve. She had been the one force that denied his responsibility in the attack. With at least one person constantly telling him it wasn't his fault, then it was safe to believe it occasionally. But now with her admitting that she too had begun to blame him, he knew that there was no one left who didn’t associate him with the destruction of their race.

Angela seemed to see how much she had upset the older Lombax and reached an arm out tentatively to him. "General Azimuth? I'm sorry, that was wrong," She apologized quietly. She didn't realize that a big strong soldier like Azimuth could be hurt by the simple words of a child's frustration.

The sand-coloured Lombax shoved her hand aside and corrected, "No, you're right. I shouldn't have trusted that Cragmite. I may as well have destroyed the galaxy myself. The results would be the same."

"General Azimuth, I'm  _ sorry _ ." The young girl pleaded, desperate to get on his good side again. Why wouldn't he just accept her apology? She had said sorry, he was meant to forgive her now and be happy again!

"I heard you the first time!" Alister snapped at her again and she pressed herself against the opposite side of the ship, scared. The general turned away, ashamed that he was hurting the girl so much. She was the only thing he had now worth any importance and he was turning her away every time he opened his mouth to speak. He was just responding the same way he would if anyone else got on his nerves, by barking at them until they retreated with their tail between their legs. But those people had been adults who could understand he needed space. Angela was only a kid. All she could see was that she had upset him and that she needed to fix it, not understanding that it may have been a problem he needed to solve for himself. He just wasn't in the mood to fake a smile and wash away her concerns.

"I didn't mean to upset you General Azimuth, I just got bothered by the fact that you were so mad at yourself," Angela tried to explain through mumbles, hoping it wouldn't result in her being yelled at again.

Alister just didn't answer, trying to ignore the girl's attempts to appease him. Perhaps if she assumed he wasn't listening, then she would realize that he didn't need her apology and that his anger wasn't her fault.

Angela did hush up, but not because she realized that Azimuth needed his space, but because she thought that he was sick of her and was ignoring her so he wouldn't have to raise his voice again. She wanted to cry, knowing she had angered the only person who could take care of her now. Maybe Alister would take a page out of Kaden's book and abandon her like his friend had with his son.

"I'm sorry." Alister muttered as he realized that the girl was biting her lip in an attempt to prevent herself from crying. How was it that  _ he _  was upset and  _ she _  was the one on the verge of tears? It just didn't make sense to him. "Can we just try to get to this other galaxy without biting each other's heads off?"

"I'm not biting anybody's head off," Angela pointed out with spite evident in her voice.

"You just did," Alister stated as Angela crossed her arms in a huff. "Just," he let out a sigh, trying to think of how to make the situation blow over, "Let's make a deal, alright?  We'll be stuck in this ship together for a while. We can't stop until we get out of the galaxy."  _ The fear of people who want our heads to bring to Tachyon is too great, _  Alister added silently. No need to worry her about that when she was already worried that Alister would spend the whole trip yelling at her. "I want to take care of you, I don't mean to hurt you. You know that right?"

Angela could only eye the older Lombax carefully, paranoid that the wrong response would make him burst into another fit of anger. Alister rolled his eyes. She had a right to be suspicious, but the younger Lombax's gaze was unnerving.

"Hey Angela." The girl's ears perked up as Alister mentioned her name calmly, "What do you expect to find when we land?" he hoped that this question appealed to her and got her in a better mood. He didn't want her upset for the whole flight.

"Um. Hopefully buildings. Lots of buildings, in good condition." She answered honestly. "And people. I miss having lots of people around."

Alister squinted his eyes shut, trying not to flinch at the comment. He hadn't even thought much about the missing buildings or people. His thoughts were too revolved on how  _ he _  had managed to make them disappear. Angela made him realize how much he missed going to work to discuss in the company of esteemed, intelligent members of the community in the building that his ancestor had architected. Now he could only think of how they had all turned on him inside of that very same building. "Yeah," he murmured quietly in response. "I hope so too."


	12. What's Worth Fighting For

It had been days. Hadn't Alister said that Tachyon came to Fastoon to check for Lombax survivors? Well one had just landed! Why wasn't he here to confront Kaden and try to kill him? "Well "Great Emperor"?!" Kaden shouted to the skies, mocking the Cragmite to challenge him. "Where are you then? I want you to fight me! We will see who kills who!"

No response. "GRAH!" Kaden kicked at the sand in his frustration. He was ready! He had gathered up as many of his weapons that were salvageable from his destroyed home, he had practiced with them to make sure he was ready to challenge Tachyon, he had gotten rid of Alister to make sure his friend wouldn't stop him. Now all he wanted was to take the Cragmite on so he could already get his revenge. "COME AND FIGHT ME!" Kaden demanded loudly, scraping the inside of his throat in the process. He calmed down as he broke into a fit of coughs from shouting too loudly.

As he let out one last weak cough to end his fit, he looked around, much more coolly, at the destroyed buildings and empty streets. Kaden noted with a mutter, "Damnit, this place is depressing on your own."  The sight of the once beautiful, advanced planet, now in nothing but ruin and devastation was a sad sight whether someone else was there to suffer with you or not, but when Alister had been by his side Kaden had been more focused on catching up with his friend than strolling around to stare at the decimation.

The yellow-furred Lombax let out a sigh. Had he really left Alister to suffer through this all on his own? To take care of the city, to try and repair what was possible, fend for himself and find a way to deal with the corpses that had littered the streets? Kaden knew that had it been him, the task would have driven him further into insanity than his thirst for revenge already had. In fact, now that Kaden had calmed down, he thought that having to deal with the ruin and horror, especially if he had blamed himself as Alister had, could drive him to suicide. He couldn't see anything left to live for. If Alister hadn't had that little girl by his side then he would have likely thought something similar.

"I’ve been a jerk to Alister since the attack," Kaden realized. The other Lombax already blamed himself for the destruction that Tachyon had caused, Kaden blaming him mustn't have helped either. Then Kaden had proceeded to jump at his friend over every little thing, making the former general feel even guiltier. And when Kaden had finally returned from hiding his son and the Dimensionator he had been just as bitter as before. In fact worse. Alister could tell that Kaden had changed, and Kaden hadn't even bothered to explain what was going on in his mind.

When had the two broken so far apart? Sure, Kaden could still read Alister like a book, but that was because he hadn't changed.  _ Kaden _  had. And he hadn't dared to explain why to his friend. Once, the yellow-furred Lombax would have told Alister anything and everything. Now the idea of revealing his thoughts to his friend filled him with dread. How would Alister react to Kaden believing that he needed to fight Tachyon, win or die? Even Kaden had figured out how insane he had been acting lately. Why confirm an idea that was already probably swimming in Alister's head?

"Is this really what I want?" Kaden asked himself for the first time since he began his vendetta against Tachyon. "Do I really want to die just to piss off some Cragmite who turned my life upside down? Don't I want to go and live with my son, start a new life? Why am I so desperate to fight Tachyon?”  Kaden let out a heavy sigh as he thought hard about that question.

"Because if I  _ don't _ ," Kaden began to answer himself, "Then I'll accept what he's done. If I don't try then I let him get away with what he did to us. If I don't even confront him then I have to try and rebuild my life without…"  The thought of living any longer without his wife or son was unbearable. He loved them too much and now both were gone. He  _ wanted _  to die. He couldn't go back to his son. He would forever live with the guilt of knowing that he had once wanted to die and how willing he was to do so at the jeopardy of his son's care. He just wanted it all to end, so he could be with his wife, and not be forced to live in this hell anymore. But if he was successful and he managed to take out Tachyon in the end, he could justify all he had done.  _ Reward over consequence _ . Yes, he would have abandoned his son, but only temporarily! He could convince himself that he had done it to fight Tachyon without the fear of his son getting hurt. Once Tachyon was gone they could bring back the Lombaxes and start over. He could get his son back and try again, knowing that the others would be back, by their side. It would be possible for him to get over his loss.

But the chances of defeating Tachyon alone were slim. In fact it was downright near impossible. The whole Praetorian Guard couldn't do it, and Kaden wasn't known for being a very good fighter. Just for jumping into fights far too often.

But he always still had a chance.

He walked over to his home, finally over the shock of the destroyed sight. He had managed to find a trunk in his house to pack all of the salvageable things he had found in his home inside it. Live or die, he wanted to keep the things that were once a part of his life. He had left the trunk outside of his house, so he wouldn't have to go back inside of the destroyed dwelling in search of his things. It reminded him too much of his frantic search for his wife and child during the attack. There hadn't been much, but Kaden wanted it to be kept safe. In case he didn't survive his encounter with Tachyon, he had stuck on a note for Alister to know that Kaden wanted him to have the last pieces of the life he had once had.

The Lombax decided to circle around the building, having not seen it yet from all angles. He didn't know why he was so intrigued to check it out, but he felt an insatiable pull. Deciding to follow his instincts he walked around the house, examining the dwelling as best as he could. Perhaps there was something he had missed.  If not, at least the slow, monotonous movement kept him calm.

However Kaden paid no attention to the ground, and didn't notice when his foot came in contact with a pile of stones. He tripped over them and rolled into the sand. "Ugh, what the-?" Kaden stared at the stones in annoyance. But once he realized what he had tripped over a sad frown carved its way onto his face.

He had seen piles of stones randomly throughout the city and had figured out what they were soon enough. Grave markers. Alister and Angela had gone around burying the bodies of those who hadn't survived so that they could try and live without having to see those horrified, empty, glazed stares wherever they went. The poor girl. Pity wound its way into Kaden's heart as he thought of Angela helping to drag a body into a hole that Alister had dug into the ground, both giving each other sad, quiet stares before placing the body into the grave to bury them. That girl had been forced to sit and watch the mess that had been made. Then, simply because she was there, she was forced to clean up after it. Kaden didn't know how she couldn't have been traumatized. Her own parents were two of the victims in the mess. How could she bury her own parents, admitting that they would never be there to take care of her ever again?

_ Parents _ . The word immediately made Kaden think of his son again, and how he had rescued him from the very building he was sitting outside. He also remembered another person who he hadn't managed to save.

Kaden's eyes dulled with grief as he guessed whose grave this must have been. Only one person had died on the property where his house once stood proudly. He screeched out the name of his wife and launched himself onto the stones, realizing what they represented. This was where she was buried, this was the truest form of proof that she hadn't escaped. "No, I need you!" he managed to choke out. The Lombax hadn't even realized how much he had missed his wife, his better half, his truest love. She, like his son, had been put aside by the thoughts of Tachyon. And seeing her grave, accepting that she could truly never be by his side again, only made him remember the things he had done without her to be the voice of reason, to discuss with him if what he had been doing had been right. "I've made too many mistakes without you, I've abandoned everything I've ever wanted or cared about, all in some sad attempt to avenge you!" Kaden confessed as he finally accepted that he had been so tempted by the thought of fighting Tachyon, that he had made all the wrong choices.

Would his wife have wanted him to tear his life apart in her name?  She believed in a fight when it was necessary but only with a strategy and a plan.  It had been one of the many places the two had butted heads.  She wouldn't have wanted Kaden blindly let his emotions lead him and lose everything he had in order to try and kill her murderer. She would have wanted him to try to survive. She would have wanted him to protect the one and only thing she would have died for. Her son.

She had protected their boy until her last breath, holding him as rubble tumbled onto them, shielding him with her body. Kaden had tossed the child aside in his greed and get what he wanted. He had even managed to justify it all in his own head, telling himself he was avenging those he cared about, that he had a chance of defeating Tachyon, that at least if he died he could be reunited with his wife. All the while denying the horrible truth behind his actions. He wanted Tachyon to suffer, but in order to try to make it possible, he'd had to make his son suffer too.

"I've made a mistake! I made a horrible, horrible mistake! When Alister comes back I'm going to go find him! I'm going to take him back, to take care of him like I should have!" Kaden promised, wishing that his wife could hear him, and if she could, hoping that she could tell he was sincere. "I don't care about Tachyon anymore, he's not important."

Kaden breathed a pained sigh as he realized the truth, "My son is." Tears began to slip down his eyes as he finally understood the horrendous mistake he had made. As he realized that Tachyon did  _ not _  matter. Kaden didn't matter and neither did his mad desire for revenge. That one little boy. His baby boy. His anchor to his sanity.

_ He _  mattered. More than anything else in Kaden's twisted sense of reality.


	13. Promises

"So this is-?" Angela asked as she looked at the city around them. Giant buildings surrounded them, hovercars sailed in the sky, people pushed and shoved through the streets in a hurry to get where they needed to be. For a pair of Lombaxes that hadn't seen an operating civilization in months, it was astounding. Alister was almost afraid of the crowdedness. He wasn't exactly in the mood to push through a huge lot of people just to move an inch. Angela on the other hand looked like she wanted to jump right into the city and feel the push and shove of people who  _ were alive _ .

"Megapolis, Endako. Capital of the Bogon Galaxy," Alister explained as he read the information off of his Nav-Unit. "One of the biggest cities in the universe,” he added as he realized how impressed Angela was. "I think this place might have Meridian City beat, eh?"

Angela could only nod, having never been off of Fastoon before arriving on this planet. Unless she had seen HoloVideos of it in school, she would have never known what Meridian City even looked like, so much for its size. Hold Megapolis against their city on Fastoon, even when it was densely populated, and there was no competition for which area was larger.

"C'mon, we need to find somewhere you can stay safe while I'm gone," Alister stated as he walked into the city. Angela gave him a cold look, one he had expected. He had spent most of the flight to Endako thinking long and hard about whether to turn back to Fastoon or not, without discussing with Angela at all. Kaden needed him, and Alister knew it. The general had decided he was going to go back, to help Kaden in whatever way he could and then travel back with his friend to Megapolis and see how Angela was.

The young girl looked like she wouldn't even consider being traded off to some caretaker while Alister was gone. She was glaring up at the general with her arms crossed defiantly, clearly agitated by the mere thought of being separated from the older Lombax. "I'm not leaving you. You're the only person I can trust. How do I know that one of these people doesn't work with Tachyon?" she demanded. Alister was surprised by how sharp the girl had gotten. She had managed to grow up quite a bit on their little journey to this galaxy.

"It's just while I go check on Kaden and see that he's alright. I'm afraid that the idiot might get himself killed," Alister explained. He wanted to sell the idea of him being gone for only a few weeks to make the round trip to Fastoon and back. He knew that Angela wasn't going to take the suggestion well, but that didn't change the fact that she, like any Lombax, could be too stubborn to even listen to the logical reasoning in a decision she didn't like.

"If you were so worried about Mr. Kaden then you should have brought him here with us! If he's smart, like we were, he shouldn't be in any danger! He chose to stay on Fastoon and besides, you promised me you'd be with me! You said that you'd go with me for whatever decision I made! I only agreed to come here because I thought you'd stay with me!" Angela protested, apprehension creeping its way into her voice as she vocalized her true fear, "You said we could restart and that you'd be here to take care of me! How am I supposed to trust a complete stranger when the one man I had left to look up to completely decided to lie to me?"

"I didn't lie. I just had too much time to think in the ship-"

"Because you wouldn't let me talk," Angela muttered. Alister brushed the snide comment aside and continued.

"I had time to think and I realized that leaving Kaden alone was dangerous. He needs help, and it certainly won't come from being stranded alone on a completely ruined and deserted planet that's filled with memories, good and awful, that could drive him crazy. I need to get back to him Angela, he's my closest, dearest friend," Alister explained gently to try to appease the young girl.

"But you promised me you'd take care of me. You can't exactly do that from another galaxy, can you?" Angela looked desperate now, unable to accept that she was about to lose a person who was meant to protect her for the third time in her life.

"Angela. Kaden's important to me. He's my closest and truest friend and he means the universe to me. Please. I need to make sure that he's alright. I'm afraid he's done something to himself or jumped in front of Tachyon's Drophyds and gotten himself killed. I need to make sure he's alright, I'm angry enough at myself for leaving him and it hurts that I'll have to leave you and be in that ship alone while I travel back. But I  _ have _  to. I know I'm being selfish and breaking every promise I made to you on the way here. But I  _ will _  come back for you. You don't have to believe me. But I want you to. Angela, please, you've got to let me go back," Alister pleaded with the young girl, looking for her approval. It was strange that he was begging for the permission of a child, but it seemed wrong to leave her, especially if she was against it. She had been hurt so much, she didn't need him to hurt her more.

"But I don't feel safe. I didn't feel safe back home until you came along. I thought that everybody was dangerous. Even Mr. Kaden when he first came. But you told me it was okay, you protected me when the Drophyds came. Who's going to do that here? I can't trust any of them! I don't know any of them!" she was pleading too, her will matching Alister's. She didn't want him gone, she wanted his protection, and she wanted him there to defeat anyone who tried to hurt her. She couldn't trust this place, these people. There could be spies around any corner, ready to report to Tachyon that there was a Lombax living there. Or someone could have heard about the bounty on Lombaxes and they would have wanted her dead. She couldn't trust anyone to keep her safe. Anyone except General Azimuth.

"That's not true. No one here has  _ heard _  of Emperor Tachyon. There's no danger. This is a peaceful galaxy. There are  _ no _  Cragmites here, I promise you. No one here will hurt you," Alister assured.

"That's what we thought about Polaris too. You never know when something or someone will spring up," Angela pointed out.

"Polaris was always a dangerous place, thanks to the Space Pirates and the Valkyries and other creatures. Even with the Cragmites gone after the Great War, we needed to take measures to try and protect the galaxy. Here there are no Space Pirates, no nothing. I think your biggest danger is being ripped off by the company who runs everything, Megacorp." Alister explained as he read more information off of his Nav-Unit. This galaxy sounded almost ideal.  Why did Angela refuse to see that?

"I still don't want you to leave me," Angela confessed. Alister blinked in surprise as a tear ran down the girl's cheek. Was she really this attached to him? He had promised to come back to her, to make sure she was safe. But that was not the issue. The issue was the fact that he was going to leave at all, to open up to her insecurities. She was afraid. Afraid of this new, unfamiliar world. She hadn't wanted to come here in the first place. She especially didn't want to be there without the one person she thought could keep her safe.

"I'm sorry," were the only words Alister could muster as Angela burst into a fit of tears. It hurt. It hurt to watch the girl upset over him. He wasn't worth it. He was the reason Fastoon had been destroyed in the first place. What did she want with him so badly anyway? He was the reason she felt like she needed protection so badly. Why did she feel like she needed him so desperately?

Angela didn't respond to his apology. She just blinked up at Alister, tears still running down her face, waiting for the older Lombax to make his next move. There was nothing left to argue over, the two would just stubbornly debate for hours on end. So, despite knowing it would only hurt the girl more, Alister did what he decided was best. He took charge.

"C'mon, we're going," the general commanded and started walking forward without the girl's input.

"Wait! We're not done talking about this!" Angela stomped her foot in frustration, refusing to follow Azimuth. The general just kept moving, knowing that she would eventually give up and follow him. "General!" she called again, her anger building. He just kept walking, waiting for the response he needed.

Angela let out a cry of irritation and ran in front of Alister. "General why are you doing this to me?" she whined in annoyance. The older Lombax didn't respond, he just kept moving, leaving Angela completely distraught. "Stop ignoring me! Just because I'm a kid, doesn't mean you can't listen to me and to what  _ I _  want!" Frustration blazed within the young girl. Hadn't she already seen hell at its truest form? She wasn't even given the sanctuary the other Lombaxes had received. She hadn't been given the freedom she deserved and was forced to pick up the pieces of her world that someone else had broken. Didn't she have a right to be a bit needy? Didn't she have the right to demand reliability and trust?

"Would you stop it?!" Alister demanded. "I'm going back and you have no say in the matter, alright? I'm sorry but Kaden needs me back home and you need to stay safe here!" He let out an agitated growl and continued walking ahead.

"Are you trying to ruin my life?" the younger Lombax asked, her voice quiet and broken, the verbal proof that she was giving up. She shook her head and followed into step with the general, waiting for his answer.

"No," Alister answered honestly. "I already did that. Right now I'm trying to make up for it. But sadly, there's another life I have to fix, and if I don't go back and stop Kaden, he might die. And I will be the only one to blame."

"You're wrong, General," Angela stated. "You didn't ruin my life before. But you're doing a pretty darn good job of it now." She dashed ahead, tears flying from her eyes as she tried to run from the older Lombax, knowing she could no longer trust him. But she didn't look ahead as she rubbed at her crying eyes and ran straight into someone. The person was much larger than her, so she was forced backward, falling onto her rear as she lost her balance.

Alister rolled his eyes, used to helping Angela after she tripped or fell.  He ran into the crowd and picked the girl up onto her feet. She glared at him and the sand-coloured Lombax let out a sigh. "Right now you might think I'm ruining your life. But one day you'll realize that I'm doing my best trying to help you." As she stood up he held a hand out to her, offering to walk alongside her, showing her he wouldn't leave until he was sure she was safe. She looked at the hand uneasily and then looked at its owner. She took a deep breath, grabbed his hand and let him protect her like he promised he would.


	14. Finality

"Hn?" Kaden woke up from where he was sleeping on his wife's grave. It had become a growing habit for him to spend his nights there, as it was the only place where he could sleep until morning without waking up, despite the freezing cold air piercing through his skin and fur, chilling his bones. Somehow, just knowing he was that much closer to his wife calmed him at night and put him into a dreamless sleep. One where thoughts of Tachyon, the attack and his son were all put aside for another night rather than allowing them to haunt his nightmares.

Blinking sleep out of his eyes, Kaden was shocked when he felt a vibration through the ground. It was so familiar, yet he couldn't figure out where he had recognized it from.

Instead he looked around, trying to see if anything was out of place. Everything  _ looked  _ the same. The landscape was nothing but destroyed buildings and not much else. Kaden blinked in annoyance as he realized it was still dark. He had definitely been awoken early from his sleep. But what had caused it?

Then he saw it. He caught a glimpse of the giant mechanical throne of Emperor Percival Tachyon. That was why he had recognized the vibration. They were footsteps coming from the mech's footfalls, the same footsteps that the members of the Center for Advanced Lombax research had been startled by the day of the attack.

"Crap," was the only word that managed to escape from Kaden's mouth. How was it that just a few days after Kaden had decided to quit in his vendetta against Tachyon that the Cragmite finally decided to come and find him? How cruel could fate be?

Kaden dove into the rubble of his destroyed home, hiding beneath the debris to prevent himself from being found. He needed to live. He had to be able to go back to Veldin and see his son again. He wasn't going to die knowing that he had abandoned his child in some mad conquest for revenge.

"Damnit, please don't let him find me," Kaden muttered to himself as he hid. "I want to see my son again, I want to correct the mistakes I made.  _ Please _ , the only way I can do that is if Tachyon doesn't find me." Kaden buried himself deeper into the rubble, praying that the villain wouldn't head in his direction. He did not want to be found. He had finally accepted that he  _ wanted _  to live!

The footsteps grew louder, the vibrations stronger.  _ No, no, no, no, no! _  Kaden screeched in his mind as he realized the Cragmite was coming closer. He was doomed. He would be killed. He would never see Alister or his son again. He would die, knowing that he had finally realized the truth, only to never fulfill it.

"Hnh! These Lombaxes are nothing more than insolent pests! They shouldn't have been allowed to live for so long! I demand that they be found! Any Lombax you discover is to be brought to me.  _ Alive _ ! I want to teach them what they get for killing off my soldiers! The vile heathens!" the high pitched voice of Percival Tachyon shot through the air. He obviously sounded furious and hungry for blood.

_ Damnit Alister! _  Was Kaden going to die for Alister's kills? That was not fair! He was already suffering because of his friend's mistake! He wasn't going to die to protect him from Tachyon.  _ He _  hadn't killed those Drophyds!

"Perform a bio-scan of the area,” the Cragmite's voice commanded. "I want every single Lombax in the city limits found immediately!"

_ Yup, I'm going to die _ . Kaden realized. He had a  _ bio-scanner _ ? Why hadn't he been warned? Or had the Cragmite not used it earlier with Alister and Angela? Did Tachyon not know if there were truly Lombaxes there or not? When he discovered Kaden would he think that he had been the only survivor? That would mean that Tachyon would never think to search for the others. But was Kaden willing to be discovered and killed for their sakes? No! He had to return to his son!

"There's one Lombax in the city,” a Drophyd responded after performing the scan.

" _ WHERE? _ " Tachyon's voice screeched. "Tell me now! I demand to know!"

"In that building over there,” the same Drophyd responded. Kaden could hear the satisfaction in Tachyon's minion's voice as he pleased his leader. But to Kaden it was the sound of the first Drophyd he was going to kill once he was discovered.

Kaden heard the charge of an energy blast and jumped out of the rubble of his home, escaping just in time to watch the blast burn through the remainder of the ceiling, causing it to collapse in along with parts of the walls. He looked up at Tachyon despairingly, knowing he had nowhere left to hide now that he had been caught.

"Ah, I recognize you." Tachyon smiled maliciously at Kaden, clearly noticing the fear on the Lombax's face, even in the dark of night. "You worked in the Center. You were a close friend of that fool, Azimuth. You should have a better choice of friends."

"Coming from a Cragmite, I'll take that as a compliment. What kind of friends do you have? The ones you bribe and cheat to be by your side?" Kaden stated as confidently as he could. He needed to seem brave. He couldn't let the Cragmite know that he was figuratively pissing himself in fear. He had his OmniWrench held tightly in his hand, needing the weapon for support.

"Hm. Lombaxes did always have big mouths."

"Maybe around you. But that was just because we all knew you didn't belong," Kaden growled.

"I'd keep your mouth shut, for I have a bargain for you. Tell me where the Dimensionator is, and you may keep your life," the Cragmite offered.

"Yeah, but then you'll bring back the rest of your kind and  _ they _  will tear my head off," Kaden guessed. There was no way he would tell him where to find the Dimensionator. His whole point in hiding it was to spite the puny Cragmite.

"Or, tell me where the other Lombax is. I believe that the bio-scans show it was an infant who had escaped in your ship with you." The Cragmite grinned as he watched the look of horror dawn on Kaden.

_ He knows about my son. What does he want with him? _  "Why should it matter to you?"

"I'll keep your son alive if that's what you're worried about. I have much grander plans for him." The malicious smile on Tachyon's face widened.

"What son? You killed him in your attack!" Kaden lied.  He wasn't willing to bargain with him over his son's fate. He had already betrayed the boy as much as he could, when he abandoned him on Veldin. He didn't care if Tachyon really  _ would _  keep the boy alive, Kaden knew he was safer in Solana, where the Cragmite wouldn't be able to touch him.

"Please, do you think I'm an idiot?" Kaden opened his mouth to respond that yes, yes he did, but Tachyon continued before he got the chance, "I remember you having an infant child, and I'm sure you wouldn't have gone to such great lengths for any old baby," the other alien taunted.

_ Wrong _ , Kaden rebutted in his mind. He had insisted that the same measure been taken towards Angela, and she wasn't his daughter. Tachyon clearly had no idea of empathy or how concern could be spread to more than one’s own family.  Was that why it was so easy for the Cragmite to turn on the Lombaxes?  "Well, besides the fact that Lombaxes actually feel compassion towards children, it doesn't matter if he's my son or not! You're not going to get him and you're not going to get the Dimensionator! Not for a  _ long _  time!" Kaden growled boldly. Sick of the back and forth he tele-equiped his Cryo-Mine glove and fired the mines at the Drophyds. The creatures froze instantly and Kaden attacked them with his wrench, watching their frozen bodies break. He panted as he looked up at Tachyon, not realizing how much effort he had just used in taking out the few Drophyds. Damn the fact that he wasn't much for fighting.  He should have taken Alister up on his offer for a training regimen years ago.

"Aw, such a weak example of a Lombax. You should have stuck to using your brains,” the Cragmite taunted. As Kaden stared up at the giant mech, the final enemy he'd have to conquer, he actually couldn't help but agree with Tachyon. His arms were screaming from the effort of destroying the Drophyds. Tachyon only smirked before calling out, "Now, for your refusal to cooperate, you will die, puny Lombax!"

"Hey, who are you calling puny? I'm not the one in the booster seat!" Kaden insisted as he fired Cryo-Mines at Tachyon's mech. They clung to the legs of the giant throne and froze it into place. Kaden then attacked the legs of the mech, hacking at them with his wrench in an attempt to make them break. However, no matter how much force he used, Kaden just couldn't make the legs give way. His arms were too tired, the mech was too strong and the ice was starting to melt.

One leg broke from the ice and swung at Kaden, who jumped backward just to avoid being hit.  He tried to kick on his hoverboots so he could flee but as he kicked his heel down he realized his bare foot hit the desert floor.  He’d taken his hoverboots off to sleep and hadn’t remembered to put them back on when he heard Tachyon’s mech. He couldn’t move fast enough as the leg swung back like a pendulum and smacked the Lombax in the face, sending him flying into the debris of his home. The wall crumbled down on him, chunks of plaster smacking him as gravity forced it to the ground.

"You're not much of a fight. Just like the rest of your kind weren't. You won't believe the laugh I had when I saw them all run with their tails between their legs. You're all pathetic."

"Why do you hate us so damn much?" Kaden finally snapped, sick of hearing the Cragmite's insults. "We raised you, we took care of you, we didn't care that you were a damned Cragmite! But you just find out one tiny piece of history connected to both of our races and all of a sudden you want to commit full scale  _ genocide _  against us? Rescuing and raising you was a mistake! I don't know how we managed to agree to actually allow you to  _ live _ ," Kaden growled angrily, frustration building up inside of him. He had been a very young and new member of the Center for Advanced Lombax Research the day the Cragmite egg was brought to the Council by a crew of Trillium miners. He remembered the hours of tireless debate among the Council members over whether or not they should destroy the egg. He remembered his own guilt in being involved in the creation of the Dimensionator and how he had stripped this egg, this unborn, innocent child, of any potential family or care it could receive. He had prayed for the Council to decide to raise that Cragmite, hoping that the Lombaxes could raise it just as well as its own race. Kaden hadn't had any input on the situation, but his prayers had been answered, when finally all of the members of the Council had agreed that raising the Cragmite was the proper and humane decision.

It was horrible knowing that they had made a grave mistake then, one that Kaden had agreed to. How dare this monster get to rid the galaxy of the Lombaxes? It had taken so long to agree to take care of him, and when they had, they had treated him as well as any other of their kind. It was revolting knowing that they could have just as easily destroyed the egg and prevented the whole situation they were now in.

"You dared to pity me! You atrocious creatures all hated me and you knew it, so you pretended it was alright by raising me and caring for me despite your hate! Just so you could hide your insensitivity towards my kind! "Look at us! We're Lombaxes! We just rid the universe of all the Cragmites in the galaxy. But we found this one and decided to take care of it to show we're not completely monsters!" Your kind  _ sickens  _ me!" Tachyon shouted at Kaden.

"You think we raised you to prove that we felt sorry for getting rid of the Cragmites? Percival, the galaxy was being  _ destroyed _  by them!" Kaden explained. "The rest of the galaxy practically  _ begged _  us to step in and save them! We raised you because we aren't  _ monsters _  like your race was! Because you weren't tainted by your kind, we thought you deserved your life! We could have just as easily killed you, Tachyon! And instead you do  _ this _  to us?" Kaden insisted as he pointed to the destruction around them, pulling himself out of the ruin of his own home.

The Cragmite had a look of contemplation on his face for a moment, looking like he was absorbing Kaden's words. Was he actually feeling guilty for what he had done? Kaden's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't actually expected his words to break through to the Cragmite.

But as unexpectedly as Tachyon's moment of reflection had come, it jumped right out his mind. The Cragmite looked angrier than before as he cried out, "You're lying! Your race is as vile now as it has ever been!" the Cragmite insisted. He lifted one of the mechanical legs of his throne and kicked at Kaden, forcing him to the ground. The leg then stomped on the Lombax before he had a chance to defend himself, forcing pressure onto the center of his chest.

"Gyah!" Kaden let out a cry as he felt his ribs snap beneath the mech. He coughed and tasted blood rising in his throat. The Lombax wailed in pain as he tried to breathe. Tachyon had punctured one of his lungs. Kaden held up his wrench and tried smacking away the foot of the mech that was sitting securely on his chest. His attempts were futile and all the effort did was cause pain in his already aching arm. He dropped the wrench and pressed his hand to his upper chest, putting pressure on the pain in a sad attempt to make it go away.

Tachyon removed the foot of his mech and for a moment Kaden thought that he would be freed from any more pain, that the Cragmite was regretting the murder he was committing. But then the foot stomped on Kaden's chest again, twisting as it landed to grind the bones and flesh beneath it. The Lombax felt the blow crush his hand and the ribs and organs it was trying to protect. Kaden tasted blood rise through his throat again and coughed from the force of the attack, more pain burning in the body he was no longer able to control. He couldn't take it anymore. He squinted his green eyes shut, trying to rid himself of the image of Tachyon laughing maniacally as the Lombax's life slipped away from him.

He couldn't grab a sense of anything other than pain. All he could feel was agony running throughout his entire body. Was this what dying was? Was this the feeling of the end? He couldn't breathe. He pushed against his chest again with the little energy he had in a sad attempt to try and get his lungs to receive the oxygen he needed. Instead his broken hand burned with the ache of Kaden accidentally displacing the crushed bones.

Why was he suffering like this? He had finally made his choice, he finally decided that he wanted nothing more than to live and be with his son. Yet in the end that decision, the  _ right _  decision, just like everything else that had been right in his life, had been stripped away from him.

"Get up," a voice commanded from behind him. The voice was soft spoken, despite the demand they were making.

Kaden tried to force his head back to see who this person was. He didn't recognize the stranger's voice at all. Had someone come to rescue him in his final moments? Or had they just come in time to watch him meet his end? His head ached from the effort from trying to move. "I'd like to see-" he took a long gasp, desperate for air, "-you-" a cough as his lungs failed in letting him breathe. He felt the blood in his throat again, tasting saltier than before. He wheezed out his last word, "-try."

"Come on! Don't you want to see your son?" the voice tempted.

"What?" Kaden used strength he didn't know he possessed and turned his head up to see a teenage Lombax, perhaps fifteen years old, dressed in nothing but a pilot's cap and cargo pants, crouching over him, with concerned eyes focused on him. The liar. Kaden let out a sharp cry as the pains of his efforts struck him. His head collapsed against the ground again, too much aching to dare try and hold his head up. His son was an  _ infant _ . There was no way that this boy could be the same as the one he had left on Planet Veldin. "My son…" he cried, his voice sharp from the anger this Lombax had caused. How dare he lie to him like that, make him suffer emotionally on top of physically? Why would he tempt him into causing himself more pain?

"You mean you don't see it?" the Lombax worked his way around to face Kaden. He knelt back down before him and insisted, "Look closer. I'm telling you the truth."

Kaden did as he was told, he stared the other Lombax in the eye. Those green eyes.  _ His _  green eyes! Yes, his fur was the same shade, light as his mother's, his face similar to his father's. The boy was short though. Kaden could even tell from the angle he was at. "You are… what…  _ how _ ?" Kaden couldn't believe it! How was he staring at his boy when he was so much older? Was it even possible?

"I grew up. Veldin was a pretty good place," the younger Lombax stated.

"You grew up. My son…" Kaden beamed up at the boy. His son was going to grow up safe. He had brought him to a good place. The child had managed to live a life, one without Tachyon to interfere. Kaden had succeeded in protecting him!

"C'mon," the younger Lombax held a hand out for his father, prepared to help him to his feet.

"I can't. It hurts just to breathe," Kaden stated as he felt his chest heave in a sorry attempt to keep him alive. He couldn't even move his arm to grab the boy's hand. He knew that every bone in it had been crushed by Tachyon.

"You're not giving up, are you? Lombaxes don't quit!" the teenager insisted. "Now give me your hand!" His expression grew harsher as he stared down at his father, unable to accept that the older Lombax was admitting defeat.

Kaden gasped for breath as he lifted his arm off of the ground, reaching for the boy's outstretched hand. Just as he thought his arm would give out he felt a grip around his wrist. Something was different. He tightened his grip on his son's arm as he realized he could move his hand. It was no longer broken. His breathing lightened as he felt oxygen enter his lungs again. He heaved himself up off the ground and both Lombaxes stood together, staring at one another. He had recovered. He blinked at his son, the impossible image of the child as a teenager. It couldn't be real and neither could this feeling of rejuvenation. "I'm dead aren't I?" Kaden asked as he blinked at his strengthened body.

"Yeah. I'm sorry," The younger Lombax scratched the back of his head sheepishly as his father admitted the truth he had been avoiding. "But you died a brave death. And you managed to keep me and the Dimensionator safe in the process."

"Good. At least I managed to do one thing right before I died."  The older Lombax sighed, "I'm so sorry for what I did to you. You have no clue how awful I've felt since then." Kaden had spent days screaming and crying for the boy, the child had haunted his nightmares before his nights had become dreamless, and now here he was! He could apologize to him, let him know he truly  _ was _  loved and that Kaden wanted more than anything to have him back.

The boy's eyes glazed over and he answered, "You did what you thought was right. And I didn't even know about Tachyon until I was like twenty. You managed to keep me safe and that's what matters."

"But I went mad," Kaden admitted, speaking the words aloud for the first time. He finally could confess what had caused his actions, he could finally let someone know why! "I wanted my revenge for what he did to us. You never even got to meet your mother. You never got to see Fastoon at its finest. You never got to see the Lombaxes as the proud race that had managed to vanquish the Cragmites! All you'll ever get to see is the destruction that Tachyon has caused. He ruined us, and I wanted revenge. I wanted him dead and I failed." Kaden wanted to break down in tears as the realization hit him. Had he been with his son, had he chosen to stay with him, then he would have been safe. He and his son could have lived happily together for years before Tachyon would have even  _ found _  them. Why had he been so driven by vengeance he knew he could never get?

"Don't worry about it. I'll get him for you," the boy promised.

Kaden blinked at him and suddenly the boy was older. About twenty or so, wearing armour and holding a weapon in his hand. "You… No!" He had been driven so far into madness trying to kill the Cragmite, he didn't want to watch the same happen to his son. He did not want the boy to face the same fate as him. He did not want his child to throw away everything just to get revenge on one man.

"I'm going to be the one to beat Tachyon. For you, for Alister, for Angela, for all the other Lombaxes he hurt and for the galaxy he spent years terrorizing afterwards. I'm the one who's going to stop him." The other Lombax stated it like a fact and Kaden understood. His son wasn't going to devote himself to killing Tachyon, he would just be the one to achieve it.

A smile overwhelmed Kaden's face and he moved to hug his son. He barely knew the boy before him, and yet at the same time knew him all too well. And he was so proud, knowing what he would become. Kaden wanted to get to hold his son again, wanted the opportunity that his insanity had forced him to deny. But when Kaden tried to embrace the younger Lombax he grabbed nothing but air. He fell back to the ground and his pain overcame him again.

"Wait, please!" Kaden wheezed as tears stung his eyes. He just wanted to touch his son, to be with him. "Come back!" He gazed up at where his son was just staring back at him. The younger Lombax shut his eyes before he started shaking his head. It would be too hard to see his father return to his suffering. Their time was up. But Kaden didn't care, he wanted to talk with his son more. He wanted to be with him, like he should have been! He called out his son's name, but the boy just kept shaking his head. "Ratchet!" he cried, not understanding why, not knowing the importance of the word. The boy's ears shot up and his eyes opened wide as he stared down at his father, the surprise in his gaze showing that he had been caught off guard by the call. What did that word mean to his son? He didn't know, but it was the last thing Kaden said, his last breath to escape from his damaged lungs. The older Lombax reached for the image of his son, so proud and strong, the same green eyes as his own, staring at him sadly. Kaden's pain was overcoming him, his body no longer surrendering to his will. His hand fell, unable able to reach out to his son any longer. The boy disappeared and in his place was nothing but the purest darkness.


	15. In The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have to apologize for the late update. I was in NYC for the weekend and had no access to a computer to upload on time. The next and final chapter will be uploaded on Wednesday, just before I leave Canada!

"Stupid piece of junk!" Alister jumped out of his ship and opened the hatch, only to be greeted by a large cloud of black smoke. He coughed as it entered his lungs. He had barely made it back to Polaris when his ship had informed him that his warp drive was malfunctioning. He had managed to land on Fastoon, grateful that his ship wound up holding out for that long. As the smoke pooled away into the sky Alister picked out the warp drive and watched as it broke apart in his hands. "Damnit all!" What kind of piece of crap had Kaden installed into the ship? How was Alister meant to get back to Angela? He had left the girl in a fit of tears, in an orphanage. The only way he could get her to stop crying was by promising on his life that he would return to her. How would he do that with a warp drive that had literally just cleaved in two?

Perhaps Kaden could fix it. Speaking of, Alister wanted to find his friend, and soon. "Wonder where he could be," Alister muttered as he stared at the open landscape. He couldn't see his friend in the distance. "Most likely in the plaza, or near his home," Alister decided were the places the other Lombax could possibly be. He kicked on his hoverboots and headed into the plaza. "Kaden?!" he called.

The city's centre was eerily quiet as Alister walked in. He hadn't been through there on his own. But with no one, no Angela, no Kaden, hell, no  _ bodies _  littering the place, Alister felt completely alone. "KADEN!" he called louder, desperate to hear his friend by his side.

Still no answer.

He must have been home then. No problem. Alister walked his way through the city, blinking up at the lonely, decimated surroundings. How had he managed to survive months of this? Could having the presence of one other person really make such a difference? Or had things gotten worse since he had left?

No, that was just him jumping to conclusions. But how could the city appear to change so drastically in the few weeks he was gone? Did having one little girl by his side really make it easy to survive months in such desolation?

The city was such a sad sight. And to think of the beautiful, technological place it had been nearly broke Alister into pieces. Knowing that it was  _ his _  city snapped the final heartstring. How had he been so irresponsible, how had he let Tachyon do this? How could he let so many lives go? How could he have let his entire race fall? Let them all run and hide in some strange dimension, never to know if it was safe to return?

"I'm such an idiot," Alister sighed. "How could I have believed that Cragmite, even for a second? I  _ fought _  against his race, I was nearly killed fighting against them in the war. I had cheered and jumped with joy when we had heard that we had won, that the Cragmites had been sent into another dimension. And yet somehow I managed to trust him just because he claimed he wanted to help us and he proved to have the means to do it. I should have listened to Kaden. I should have listened to the others. We could have just as easily upgraded the designs ourselves, without worrying about the chance of them being used against us. We didn't need his innovations." Alister looked down at the ground in shame, "How could I have been so easily fooled?"

Alister found himself drowned in guilt as he walked the rest of the way to Kaden's house. The memories that he had just along this dirt path were overwhelming. Running along it to bring important news. Rushing to Kaden's home when his friend had made some new discovery. Walking alongside the other Lombax when they finished working. Laughing about something stupid, grinning at how their lives were as perfect as could be.

And Alister was the one who had taken all of that away. The two were doomed to suffer in this world that he had helped create. And no matter how close he was  _ physically _  to Kaden, Alister still couldn't help but feel so alone. His friend had changed and Alister could see that the two were becoming more distant. Alister no longer knew who Kaden was anymore.

But Alister was willing to protect his friend. If Kaden truly wanted to take on Tachyon, Alister would support him in any way he could. No matter what they tried to do to tear themselves from one another, Alister would help him, would fight alongside him. He wouldn't let his closest friend get hurt.

"Kaden?" he blinked up at his friend's house. The dwelling was undeniably in a way worse condition than before, if that was even possible. The whole back wall had caved in and the ceiling had been blasted through by a laser of some kind. Had Tachyon come through here while he was gone? Had Kaden tried to fight him? If that was the case, then what had happened to his friend?

"Kaden!" he called desperately as he ran up to the front of the home. He blinked down at a trunk that was sitting outside the entrance. Attached to it was a note. He quickly skimmed the first line and realized it was addressed to him. He'd read it later. He stashed it into the front plate of his armour, knowing it would be safe there until he found Kaden. Where was his friend?

He circled around the house, desperate to find where the yellow-furred Lombax could have been, fearing that the worst had happened. "Kaden?" he called again, wishing his friend would respond. He made it to the back of the house and saw what had caused the back wall to cave in. Something had been thrown into the wall.

That something was Kaden.

Alister felt his heart drop from his chest at the limp body of his best friend.  " _ No _ !" Alister exclaimed. He ran to his friend. "Kaden! You couldn't have! You said you'd wait for me to come back before you did anything stupid!" He knelt down in the rubble, analyzing the other Lombax. He was beaten and bruised. Blood trickled from his lips. A broken hand was lying against his chest. The decal in the center of his armour had been completely broken and smashed through, sinking into the armour. The decal was pressed inwardly, forcing its way into his chest. Blood had pooled and begun to dry in the opening the broken armour had made into his torso. Kaden's green eyes gazed sightlessly forward.

Alister took in a sharp gasp as he caught his friend's stare. His eyes were glazed over and completely void of any life. "Kaden…" Alister was used to the look. He had fought in enough battles, he had buried enough bodies after Tachyon's attack. But he never wanted to see it on  _ Kaden _ . Not on his best friend.

The sand-coloured Lombax pulled Kaden's eyelids down, forcing them shut so Alister wouldn't have to see his lifeless gaze. His hand brushed against Kaden's face as he pulled away from his eyes, feeling the cold touch of the dead Lombax's skin through his glove. "Damnit Kaden! Why did you go and fight him?" the Lombax asked, squinting his eyes to shut out the image of his dead friend. "I told you to  _ wait _  for me! I would have convinced you that this was stupid! I wouldn't have let him kill you!" He pulled his head into his hands, trying to get a grip. How could Kaden have died?

"This is all my fault." Alister mumbled through his sadness. He had caused the destruction that had led to Kaden's insanity. And that had driven him to want to fight Tachyon. To get back at the Cragmite for what he had done to him.

Alister fetched the letter from Kaden out of his armour, desperate to read what his friend had wanted him to know. He needed something to assure him that Kaden hadn't jumped into his death. He needed to see if there was something important that the other Lombax wanted him to take care of.

" _ Alister, _ _ I know you probably think I'm going to go get myself killed. You'd probably be right. I want that Cragmite dead for what he did to me. To us. Sorry I didn't wait for you, but this is my fight. I know you're going to be upset with me, and maybe even with yourself. Especially if I don't come out alive. But I have to try and fight him. I have to do something. I can't just let him get away with what he did. So many innocent people were hurt. My wife was only one of many. _

" _ I'm sorry. I hope we get to meet again before you read this note, but unfortunately luck hasn't exactly been on our side lately, so I sadly doubt it. I just want you to know that you're an important friend to me and that I'm sorry if I miss you before Tachyon finds me, but I think it would be best. _

" _ I went through my things, trying to find anything I could use against Tachyon. I found a collection of things I'd like to keep, but if I don't survive, I want you to protect them for me. You're the only person I trust. _

" _ ~Kaden _ "

Alister stared at the note. So he had been right. Kaden had wanted to take on Tachyon himself. He did want to get himself killed. Because he had thought it was the only way to prove to Tachyon that he wouldn't accept the destruction and ruin that the Cragmite had caused. He turned the note over in his hands and saw that there was another side, with darker writing, proving that it had been written later.

" _ I don't want to fight Tachyon anymore. He's not worth it. I want to take the ship and leave this galaxy, leave Tachyon's reign. Getting myself killed won't be worth it. I just want a chance to start over, despite everything that's happened. _

" _ I just want you to know this, in case Tachyon does find me before you get here. I'm sorry. I don't blame you for the attack. Although I want to be able to tell you that to your face. _

" _ ~Kaden _ "

He  _ hadn't _  wanted to fight Tachyon in the end? Then what had happened? Had the Cragmite come to the planet and found Kaden? Had Kaden, who had finally accepted he didn't want to die for his insane attempts at vengeance, been killed because he was stuck on the planet? Because Alister had his ship?

Kaden was dead because of him. He said he didn't blame Alister for the attack anymore, but that didn't change the facts. This whole thing was Alister's fault. Every trip and bump in the way, it had all been because he had given that Cragmite their designs, their  _ secrets _ ! He and Kaden and all of the other Lombaxes would be living perfectly harmonious lives if he hadn't made that one crucial mistake. He had been the cause of his closest friend's death. Because of him Kaden was no longer  _ alive _ . He was to blame for everything that had been stripped away from Kaden, for everything he suffered. Now Alister would never see his friend with life in his eyes again. Kaden would never breathe, never speak, and never get the chance to correct the mistakes that both Lombaxes had made.

And Alister would never see Angela, nor be able to search for Kaden's son thanks to the warp drive breaking. He was alone again. He started digging, into the sand, knowing his friend needed to be buried. How had Alister managed to do this so many times before? The Lombax shook with every move he made, his body in too much shock to cooperate with his actions. After lots of effort and trial and error, Alister had managed to dig the grave. He gave his friend a quick once over, proving to himself that Kaden truly was gone and that he needed to bury him, no matter how much it would hurt. Bruises marked Kaden's face and arms. Dried blood stained the corner of his mouth. His armour was cracked and torn open, exposing where his ribs were broken. He was dead. And he had fought, even for his last breath. The yellow-furred Lombax hadn't wanted that fight anymore, but it seemed Tachyon was prepared to bring it to him either way. Poor Kaden. How long had he suffered? Why hadn't Alister been there for him, to fight alongside him?

Burying Kaden had to be the hardest part. He wanted his friend to spring to life at any moment and burying him proved that there was no chance that he would ever come back. He suddenly understood why Angela was so determined to believe her parents had been sleeping when the two had first met. Denying the truth hurt less than accepting it.

Tossed in the sand next to his wife’s grave were Kaden’s hoverboots.  Alister should have seen them abandoned and known that Kaden had gone into his fight with Tachyon unprepared.  He knew his friend well enough to know he only took those boots off to sleep.  Which meant Tachyon had attacked in the middle of the night and caught him off guard.

Alister picked up the hoverboots and cradled them in his arms.  His friend had asked him to protect his things and he fully intended to grant him that request.

The sand-coloured Lombax made his way to the front of Kaden's house, knowing that he had done his friend well by burying him alongside his wife. It had taken a lot of effort to step away from the grave, but Alister knew there was no point standing around, waiting for the yellow-furred Lombax to break through the sand and demand to have his hoverboots back. Even if Alister wished it was possible. He made his way over to the trunk where he had found the note. The belongings his friend had wanted him to keep. Alister opened up the trunk and stared inside. The first things he found were research papers. He picked them up and realized they were Kaden's information on the Great Clock.

Alister smiled down at the papers, remembering the last conversation he and Kaden had shared.  Did his friend choose his research on the Clock to protect as a reminder of that final goodbye?

" _ The "Keeper of Time" appears to have ability to control the space time continuum. The Guardians of Time, the "Zoni", had created the Clock to protect it from the mistakes time could create. _ " Alister read from the first couple lines of Kaden's research of the runes he had discovered on Quantos. The Great Clock was meant to fix mistakes. There was one mistake that Alister needed to correct. Perhaps he could continue his friend's study, carry on where time had prevented Kaden from completing his project. He breathed a deep sigh as he continued rummaging through the things.

His hand brushed something cold and he fished out a round metal disk. He saw that it was designed to split down the middle. Fingering the crack, Alister managed to open the disk and heard it quietly tick away. It was a pocket watch. But on the side opposite of the clock there was a picture. It was a rather recent one, taken some time after Kaden's son had been born. In the photo Kaden and Alister stood proudly together, each brandishing their greatest treasures, their wrenches, as they smiled at the camera. Stress lines marked Kaden's eyes, making him seem so much older, even though they were just marks of his newly acquired fatherhood. A scar ran down Alister's right eye from a fight he had gotten in not long before the photo was taken. He ran a gloved hand across that same eye now, feeling the fur that had grown back where the cut had once been. Despite the toll that had been taken against both of their eyes, their gazes were bright and almost youthful.

Alister stroked the picture of his friend. It was so hard to believe that it had been so long since he had seen his friend smile, a true genuine smile. It was so long ago, before their lives had been completely and utterly torn asunder by Alister's mistake. The Lombax dropped to the ground, banged his head against the trunk and stared down at the pocket watch in his hands. Tears rained down his cheeks as he looked intently at the picture, at the friend and happiness he had lost. The sand-coloured Lombax had been suffering so much guilt, had been in such despair, had seen nothing but how his mistakes had ruined his and everyone else's lives. Now he was so alone, and all he could do was cry. Cry for everyone and everything he had lost, that he had destroyed.

General Alister Azimuth did nothing but cry for the first time since he had gone to hell and back.


	16. Epilogue

Alister grinded down the rail and reached a spring, using it to launch himself into the air and land on the platform that held the unused mining robot where he had situated his new home. He hadn't been able to live on Fastoon for very long. Tachyon had sent more powerful troops to the planet and Alister had learned that they'd had a bio-scanner, that the device had been how Kaden had been discovered. He had fled in his ship, previously Kaden's, and before him some stranger Alister probably didn't know. Hell, for all he knew the owner of the ship could have been one of the people he and Angela had buried all of those years ago, after Fastoon's demise.

He had fled from his homeworld, afraid he'd be discovered and that he would meet the same fate as his friend. He had something new to live for, a way to fix his mistake and death would not be an option. He would not allow anyone to stop him until he discovered it.

The Great Clock.

Once a joke between Alister and Kaden, the Great Clock was now a wonderful hope. One that Alister was sure could change his mistake! He had taken all of Kaden's things as his friend had requested and brought the trunk with him when he had fled Fastoon. He had continued Kaden's research on the Clock, learning more about the Zoni who guarded it and what it could do.

Now all he needed to do was find it.

He had been close. Desperate to find the Clock and use it to correct the past, he had worked for Doctor Nefarious, a mad scientist of a robot who wanted to use the Clock to correct every right in the world. Alister had managed to convince the robot that he wanted to use the Clock for malicious purposes and they had worked together. But he learned Nefarious was keeping secrets and he had no intention to be anyone else’s stepping stone to the Clock.  Out of anger, Alister had destroyed one of Nefarious's transports and during a fight with the doctor’s partner, Vorselon, he blew up one of the Teraklon mercenary’s outposts in the Korthos Sector.

He’d lost that fight and been captured, tortured, and nearly killed before being sentenced to stay here, on Torren IV. If he dared leave, Nefarious would not allow Alister to live. And the robot had assured him that his death would be slow, painful and violent.

Intent on not ending up tortured and beaten again and wanting to live long enough to use the Clock, Alister had agreed to the villain's conditions. It seemed that despite the Lombax's agreement to the terms that had been set, Nefarious had broken his word. Alister had stayed in his home as the villain had insisted. And yet he had sent an assassin in a hologuise after him instead. The lying cheat!

Alister was pressed along the side of his home, waiting for his enemy to follow him. Just as he expected, the other "Lombax" jumped off the bounce pad and flipped in the air. Green eyes looked around, confused as he tried to figure out where Alister was. As the assassin turned to look in the opposite direction Alister rushed up to him, grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him at the wall of his home. He caught his foe around the neck with his wrench as he slid down the wall, energy pulsing through the weapon as the sand-coloured Lombax charged his attack.

He shoved his face right into his foe's, and spat at the intruder, "Now I've got you!" However, he found himself staring at the Lombax, analyzing him. He may have been in a hologuise, but it was still the closest thing Alister had seen to another Lombax in about two decades.

His foe's eyes were squinted and his ears were drooped in defeat, waiting for the worst to come. But Alister's eyes widened as he stared at the Lombax. His golden fur. The smooth pattern of his orange stripes. The shape of his face. They were all so familiar. "It can't be…" the other Lombax's eyes opened, clearly wondering what was delaying his death. He focused a narrowed glare at Alister, realizing that the older Lombax was still in control and that one wrong move could still lead to his murder.

But murder was a far thought from Alister's mind now. He couldn't help but stare into the stranger's eyes. Those green eyes, their depths were so familiar! "You're… you're Kaden's son!" he exclaimed. He immediately released the other Lombax who gave him a sharp glare before turning away and rubbing his sore neck.

"Forgive me." Alister got down on one knee, with one fist against his heart, a sign of respect shown among Lombax soldiers, before introducing himself, "General Alister Azimuth." He rose to his feet, "Four Bolt Magistrate of the Lombax Praetorian Guard," the other Lombax's gaze snapped onto Azimuth, staring at him in wonder. "Elder Councilman for the Centre of Advanced Lombax Research," Alister's gaze softened and he shook his head gently as he added, "And you, my dear boy, look just like your father."  The younger Lombax's gaze widened in amazement.  Alister felt affection blossom for the boy as he recognized that face full of wonder.

"You-you knew my father?" the other Lombax asked, surprise filling his voice. He had come here in search of an ally, an enemy of Doctor Nefarious's. The last thing he had expected was a Lombax with a connection to his past.

Alister beamed down at the young adult before him. He hadn't seen Kaden's son in over twenty years. He had been so sure that the boy had been killed. And yet here he was, standing in front of him. So Kaden had succeeded in protecting his son after all. As the boy blinked up at him, Alister couldn't help but note the amazing resemblance between his late friend and his son. Alister may have had to look down a bit further at the boy, but when he did, he looked right into Kaden's face. It almost made him believe his friend was back. "Of course. Now, tell me who you are and where you're from." He knew Kaden's boy's name. He would never forget the name of the boy who may as well have been his nephew. But he knew it wasn't the name that the other Lombax would have grown up with.  There was no point dwelling over the past.  Someday he would correct time and this boy would know only his proper name.

"I'm Ratchet. I'm from planet Veldin, in the Solana Galaxy." The young Lombax held his head high as he answered the older Lombax. He must have been so glad to see another Lombax. And not just any Lombax, but one who knew his father!

Ratchet. Alister stared down at the boy. The name was strange, definitely not a name any Lombax would be expected to give their child, but it seemed to suit the other Lombax just fine.

The Solana galaxy. So that was where Kaden had hidden him all of those years ago. It was unfortunate Alister hadn't known. He would have gone for the boy the minute he could, had he found a working warp drive.  It was a shame to think that this boy had been raised by aliens on a foreign planet when there was a Lombax perfectly capable of raising him.  If only he’d had the resources to learn of his whereabouts and reach him.

He would have followed for Angela right after. That poor girl. Alister knew she must have been an adult now, building her own life for herself, but he still couldn't imagine her as anyone but that child who he had made so many promises to and only managed to disappoint.

Alister shook his head slowly, ridding himself of thoughts of the girl. It wasn't like he hadn't tried to get back to her. He had just been so worked up in getting to the Great Clock, to make it so that she wouldn't have  _ needed _  him, that actually searching for a warp drive to go see her was a thought situated in the back of his mind.

One final shake of his head and Alister asked, "And what brings you so far from home?" Polaris was safe, now that Tachyon had disappeared and that the galaxy had been freed from his reign, but most people didn't just galaxy-hop because they were merely bored.

"Well, about two years ago I was on Kerwan when the Cragmite Emperor, Tachyon, came trying to destroy the place looking for me. Me and my friend Clank, we stole his ship and its preset coordinates crash landed us on Cobalia and we were stuck in Polaris. From then on Tachyon kept trying to find the "Lombax Secret", the Dimensionator, and Clank and I were determined to stop him from getting it because we had heard it was a powerful super weapon that had vaporized the other Cragmites." the Lombax explained.  “So, uh, that’s how I got here and why I stuck around.”

Alister blinked in surprise. So Tachyon  _ had _  managed to find Kaden's son after all. But when he was good and strong enough to handle him, not when he was the infant who would have been easily tracked down and killed for Tachyon's own sick twisted desire to see all of the Lombaxes wiped out. It was a miracle he had never found out about Alister's survival.

"So, we found out that the Dimensionator actually relocated the Cragmites to another dimension, and that it wasn't a weapon at all. Tachyon wanted it to bring them back, so we tried to stop him from getting it. Eventually he did manage to get his hands on it and we had to fight him. The Dimensionator malfunctioned while we were fighting and created a wormhole that sent me, Clank and Tachyon to another dimension. There he fell into a black hole and we used the Dimensionator to go back home, but it broke afterward."

Part of this story Alister knew. Especially the part about Tachyon being defeated and Polaris being free from his reign. Alister had actually wanted to start a search for the Dimensionator to bring the Lombaxes back, now that they were free from Tachyon's terror. But that wouldn't be possible, if the boy was right and the Dimensionator really was broken. The Great Clock would be the only option, it seemed.

"The whole time Clank was talking about these weird creatures called "Zoni" that no one but him could see and after we beat Tachyon they came and plucked him away. He's my best pal and I'm trying to find him now," Ratchet finished explaining. He gazed up at the general, waiting to see what he would make of the story.

"Did you say "Zoni"?" Alister asked. He recognized that name. Those were the Guardians of Time according to Kaden's research. Was Ratchet's friend really connected to the Zoni?

"Yeah?” Ratchet stared up dubiously at Alister, clearly trying to see what the word meant to him.  Could this stranger also happen to have information on Clank’s kidnappers?  Was there any information this Lombax didn’t have that pertained to his rescue mission?  “Clank said that they could control time and they gave him all these abilities and stuff."

"Control time? I think we may be able to help each other, my boy." Alister stated as he stepped into his home. So the Zoni  _ could _  control time! Then it was true!  Then the Great Clock and the time-turning Orvus Chamber must have been real too! He  _ could _  use the Clock to turn back time! He just needed to help the young Lombax find his friend and they would find the Clock.

Ratchet followed, an arm out to ask what Alister meant by "help" but was interrupted as the older Lombax continued his explanation.

"Now listen here, the Zoni are connected with the Great Clock, the most complex machine in the universe. Your friend, he must be in there! We must find a way to communicate with him, to reach the Clock!" Alister started to ramble excitedly as he thought of how much closer this information brought him to the Clock. Hope began filling his heart, a surprise considering all of the disappointment it was used to. He had never expected to find Kaden's son. He hadn't even known if he was still alive! But now not only had the boy managed to find  _ him _ , but he also brought him information about a friend who may have been in the Clock! It was all too perfect!

"A clock?" Ratchet asked as he stared up at Alister, an obviously confused look on his face. "I remember Vorselon talking about a clock on Quantos."

"Vorselon?" Alister's glee dripped away into disappointment. Why would Vorselon have mentioned the Clock to this boy? The Teraklon was under the impression that Alister was the only Lombax in the galaxy. The fool wouldn't have cared to even notice the difference between the two if he met Ratchet. So why mention the Clock unless he were to gloat about it?

"Yeah. He's running around for Nefarious. He said that they had the Clock, and I know that Nefarious has Clank."

"Doctor Nefarious?!" he had Ratchet's friend? He was in contact with the Zoni? To Alister it was impossible to believe, but if Ratchet was right, then Nefarious had managed to reach the Clock before him! If the mad scientist used the Clock, then Alister wouldn't have a chance to use it for the sakes of the Lombaxes.

"Yeah. I was hoping you could help me. I figured an enemy of Nefarious's could be an ally of mine."

"I suppose that's good enough logic,” Alister muttered. Perhaps he would help Ratchet search for his friend, if only in an attempt to get to the Clock.  And to protect it from Nefarious’s machinations.

"So are you going to tell me what you know?" Ratchet asked innocently enough.

The problem was that Alister didn't know what he was talking about. He had gotten so worked up after hearing about Ratchet's friend and that Nefarious was close to the Clock, that he had completely forgotten about what Ratchet had wanted. "What do you mean?"

Ratchet gave the other Lombax a frustrated look as he protested, "Look I just told you my whole story about why I'm here and how I'm searching for my friend who's pretty much been kidnapped from me by an old enemy of ours. Now tell me what you know about my father." He seemed a bit pensive before adding a quiet, "Please?"

Alister sighed, blinking down at the boy, remembering what he owed the other Lombax for his information. "Kaden." He really didn't want to talk about his friend. He missed the other Lombax too much. Especially since he blamed himself for his death. So instead of going into detail about how he and Kaden knew each other since they were children, he pulled out the pocket watch with the picture of himself and Kaden inside from where he kept it in the chest plate of his armor. He handed it to Ratchet and told him again, "You look just like him."

Ratchet just stared from the watch, to the other Lombax. Alister was making his way over to the window in his home, placing his wrench against the wall and staring out into the horizon, memories of his late friend bubbling in his mind. His friend whose death he still felt entirely responsible for. He needed a break from looking at Kaden's son. Looking at the younger Lombax, he may as well have been looking at Kaden's clone. And yet, despite looking just like Kaden, Alister realized that Ratchet was a different incarnation of Kaden. The boy was the picture of how Kaden had looked before the attack. He had Kaden's warm, comforting expression that told Alister he knew he could trust his friend, rather than the frigid, rage filled countenance that had taken over Kaden once Tachyon had attacked Fastoon. Ratchet was a perfect reminder of what Kaden had been when he was at his happiest. Of what Alister had torn away from his friend with his foolish mistake.

The golden-furred Lombax blinked at the pocket watch for a minute, and then at Alister who simply looked away from him, not giving anything away. He shrugged, popped the locket open, and stared at the picture of his father and Azimuth. Ratchet's eyes grew huge as he stared at a Lombax that looked like an older version of himself. The only difference was the darker fur, the different armour and the stripes that marked the older Lombax's cheeks. It was him. It was really his father. "I have so many questions. How did you know him?"

"Kaden and I were good friends. He was a great Lombax." Alister smiled into the distance as he thought of the good memories of his old friend, rather than what he had done to him. "Smart as they could come." Alister heard a click as Ratchet closed the pocket watch. The sand coloured Lombax turned around and locked onto Ratchet's green eyes, so similar to his father's. "He was the first outsider to theorize that the Great Clock even existed."

"And this "clock". You think Clank's in there?" Alister noticed the skeptical look that Ratchet was giving him. The other Lombax didn't seem to completely believe Alister.

Alister had spent the last twenty years studying the Clock.  Ratchet had no reason to doubt him, and he would prove that he knew exactly what he was talking about. As he walked around the room he stated, ""Clock" is a rather  _ crude _  translation of the runes on Quantos. Specifically they say "Keeper of Time"." Ratchet gave the sand-coloured Lombax a rather bored look and the elder realized that the boy didn't care for the specifics of the Clock. He just wanted to hear about his friend. Alister stopped in front of his trunk, the one Kaden had left for him with all of his remaining belongings. He pulled open the lid and answered Ratchet's question, "But yes, I suspect he is." As he began rummaging through Kaden's old belongings he returned to explaining, "You see, according to Fongoid lore, the Zoni are the Guardians of Time. If your friend is connected to them then he must play some part in its operation." Alister continued searching through Kaden's things. He had been looking for the other Lombax's hoverboots, to give to his son and teach him how to use. "Now, where are those blasted things?" he continued digging, getting frustrated.

"Wait." A thought appeared in Ratchet's mind, "I thought my father was the only one to stay behind when the Lombaxes left." Alister tore his gaze away from the trunk and eyed Ratchet carefully.  This conversation was getting dangerously close to uncomfortable territory.  "Why didn't you go with them?"

Harsh memories of Alister's banishment returned. Thoughts he had long put aside, since he had been more concerned for the people he had hurt rather than the ones who had left him in a flurry of insults. Nobody had wanted him in the other dimension. He had been stripped of his positions in the Praetorian Guard and Center for Advanced Lombax research, even though he still held on tightly to them, going as far as to introduce himself to Angela and Ratchet by them, after he had obviously lost the titles. Ratchet's question was simple, but a painful reminder of his past.

Alister pulled his head out of the trunk and stated, "Sometimes the universe has a cruel sense of humour." He let his gaze run back into the trunk, so he wouldn't have to look at Ratchet's puzzled stare. He shook his head and suddenly he caught a glimpse of what he had been looking for. "Ah hah! There they are!" he exclaimed. He pulled out the pair of boots and held them up for Ratchet to see. "Your father's hoverboots! Ready for your first lesson?"

Ratchet nodded, staring at the boots in amazement. Alister tossed them to the boy and watched as he strapped them on. The younger Lombax got up and walked around in the boots, "Perfect fit!" he exclaimed.

"I had a feeling." Alister smiled down at the boy. The perfect image of Kaden. Perhaps this was fate giving him a chance to redeem himself. Giving him his friend back through his son and giving him a good clue to get to the Clock so that together they could bring peace to the Lombax race. "Come on. We'll go to Molonoth Fields. I have a hoverbooting course set up there. I'll teach you the basics." He moved to grab his wrench and was about to leave. Except when he turned, he saw that Ratchet had let his gaze wander towards the boards where Alister had pinned up his and Kaden's research on the Great Clock. "Well, are you coming, or are you just going to stare at your father's work all day?"

"My father came up with this?" Ratchet asked as he looked closer at it.

"Well, not all of it," Alister admitted. "I continued his research after he…" he bit his lip, unable to finish his sentence. How could he say Kaden was dead when he could have sworn that he was staring right at him?

"I know." Ratchet's eyes met Alister's and there was an understanding between the two. Ratchet knew of the fate that his father had met, and he was letting Alister know he didn't have to explain. Alister sighed, appreciating the notion.

"Come on, I'm going to teach you a few tricks to keep up your sleeves," the general insisted as he walked out of his home. Ratchet nodded and caught up, following right in step beside the older Lombax.

Alister stepped into the sun, letting today mark the first day of his bright future.  The universe was finally lining the pieces in his favour.  It had given him Ratchet, so he no longer had to spend his days alone.  It had given him Ratchet’s friend, a contact within the Clock who had a connection to the Zoni and, if what Ratchet said was true, the ability to manipulate time.  Not only would he and Kaden’s son conquer the Clock together, but with the younger Lombax’s friend they would be able to use it.  Alister couldn’t contain his excitement.  For the first time in months his plan was back on track.  He and Ratchet would defeat Nefarious, just as he and Kaden should have defeated Tachyon together all of those years ago, and then they would turn back time and he would have his life back the way it should have been.

He already felt like he was so close to having his old life back.  With Ratchet walking alongside him, on their way to a hoverbooting track that he had set up with the blazing hot sun beaming down on them, Alister couldn't help but think that he was back on Fastoon, with Kaden by his side again.

~ End ~


End file.
